Darkness. That is what I remembered the most--being surrounded by the darkness. No moon, no stars, just inky blackness all around us as we children huddled together on the porch of our little log cabin. A great horned owl hooted from the trees, and a coyote replied with a mournful howl from deep in the forest. I shivered.Jess snuggled closer to me and laid her head on my shoulder as we stared out into the blackness. For her, at least, I could be brave. Little Charlie lay asleep on a blanket next to me, his little chest rising and falling with his steady breathing. I didn’t see how he could sleep. Not at a time like this. Then again, he was only little; too young to tell how nervous Pa was. But I could tell. He was pacing the porch only a few feet away, his hands clasped behind his back and his jaw clenched in worry. Pa only paced when he was nervous.It wasn’t the darkness I was afraid of. I was used to that. It wasn’t the dangers the darkness held either. Growing up on the colonial frontier I had learned to face danger. I wasn’t afraid for myself. It was Mama that I was worried about. She had been very weak for the past few weeks, and just this evening she had started having incredible pain. Pa had sent me posthaste on our horse to fetch Mrs. Constant, the midwife, who lived four miles away. When I handed her the note from Pa she had hurried back to our farm as fast as possible. She’d gone inside with Mama right away, while we all waited on the porch. That had been hours ago, and still she and Mama had not come out. “What’s going to happen to Mama?” Jess asked in a whisper.“I don’t know, Jess, but she’s gonna be alright,” I reassured her, but my own uncertainty pricked at my mind. Then I heard it. From inside the cabin there came the sound of a baby crying. I sat up straight and looked at Pa. He had stopped pacing at the sound and was looking eagerly to the cabin door. A moment later Mrs. Constant poked her head out. “Mr. Sanford, you need to come inside, please,” she said, then withdrew into the cabin again. “Watch the children for me, Allen,” Pa said to me, then hurried inside. With all my heart I wanted to follow, but I obeyed his orders. Hours seemed to pass as we waited, but I knew it was only a few minutes. The darkness appeared to be thicker than ever around me as I strained my ears to listen to the low voices inside the cabin. I could hear the worry in Mrs. Constant’s tone, and I didn’t like it. We sat waiting in the dark for a long time. I wasn’t sure what to think, so I tried not to think at all. Little Charlie stirred and mumbled something, but quickly fell back to sleep.Finally the door swung open again, throwing a beam of light far out into the darkness. Pa emerged from the cabin carrying a small bundle in his arms. He made his way to where we sat huddled together. The light from in the cabin fell on his face, and I thought I saw the glisten of a tear on his cheek. He leaned over Jess and I and placed the bundle in my arms. “Allen, Jess, this is your new baby brother, Benjamin,” he said softly. I held the bundle in my arms and looked down at the tiny face of the baby. He looked so small and fragile, I was almost afraid to breath for fear of breaking him. For a moment, and only a moment, I forgot my worry as I looked down on this new life. “He’s beautiful,” Jess breathed next to me as she too gazed at the little face. I looked up into Pa’s face. Something was wrong, and I could tell. All my worry rushed back on me. “How’s Mama?” I asked with concern. Pa bit his lip at my question, and he swallowed twice before answering, “God is taking care of Mama, Allen.”“Can I see her?” I asked. Pa shook his head sadly.A sinking feeling filled my chest as I looked into his eyes. Suddenly I didn’t want to hold the baby anymore. I carefully handed him to Jess, then stood and walked to the edge of the porch. Pa stepped behind me and laid his hand on my shoulder. I didn’t move, just stood and stared out into the blackness of the night. ***We buried Mama the next day. The funeral for her was on the top of the grassy hill just east of our cabin, facing the sunrise. A few of the neighbors came, The Williams, the Constants, and one or two others. They all brought flowers and said how sorry they were, and talked about Mama being with Jesus. I hardly heard them. All I knew was that I loved Mama with all my heart, and now Mama was gone. I stood next to Pa and watched as they lowered her into her grave. Jess cried into my sleeve, while Charlie turned and hugged Pa’s leg, sobbing. The parson said a prayer, and then they filled in the grave. I looked away, tears running down my cheeks. Pa planted a wooden cross he had made in the soft dirt, marked with Mama’s name.As soon as I could, I broke away from the group and hurried off into the woods to my spot by the creek. Everything there always seemed so beautiful and peaceful, but today it held no comfort for me. I flung myself down on the leaves and moss by the bank of the stream and cried. I cried until I had no tears left. My world had fallen in on me in a single night. Never again would Mama sing to me, never hold me close and tell me stories. Never do anything with me, ever again. I was only eleven, and now I was motherless. I sobbed until my heart felt like it would break into splinters.My tears finally dried and I lay there in silence. The shadows began to grow long and I slowly rose and retraced my steps towards home. When I opened the door I saw our neighbor Mrs. Williams sitting at the table, holding baby Benjamin. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the baby. It dawned on me that it had been his fault that Mama had died. She lost her life because she was giving birth to him. I didn’t think at the time that he was just as much a motherless child as I was. All I saw was my own loss. In an instant any love I had felt for him changed into hurt bitterness. I knew I could never love him. I slipped past Mrs. Williams and scrambled up the ladder to the loft. Throwing myself down on the bed, I cried more tears I didn’t know I had left.

“How can you be so sure, old man?” asked one man from the group around me. “You say all these things about your ‘Christianity’ as you call it, but what proof do you have?”I smiled. “I could tell you,” I offered. “If you’ll listen.”“I’ll listen alright, but nothing you will say can change my mind,” the man shot back. “Alright then, I will,” I said and began.

It was Friday morning, the day after Passover. I was making my way through the streets of Jerusalem. I carefully looked both ways before ducking into the quiet alley and then glanced nervously over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t being followed. As soon as I was sure it was clear, I hurried towards the only familiar seeming place in this whole city. Part way down the alley I knocked quietly on a locked door. I glanced around again as I waited impatiently for it to open. Finally I heard it creak slightly as it opened a crack and a man inside peered out.“Andrew!” James exclaimed as he opened the door all the way. “Come in, quickly!”I quickly stepped through the door and he closed it behind me, taking care to double lock it.“Any news?” I asked anxiously. A look of pain swept across James’ face. “Yes,” he said softly. “They condemned Him.”My heart sunk in despair. “How…how do you know?” I questioned. “Peter and John followed them to the counsel last night, and I just came from Pilate’s Praetorium this morning. They’re taking Him to Golgotha to be crucified!”“Oh no, not crucified!” I cried and turned and rushed to find Peter. My older brother always seemed to know what to do. I found him in the upper room, sitting with his face buried in his hands.“Peter!” I exclaimed. “We have to do something!”He looked up at me, and I could see he had been crying. I was a bit startled. Peter was the kind that did things about problems, not the one that broke down. John was supposed to be the soft one, not Peter.“What happened!” I demanded. “I…I denied Him, Andrew,” he finally answered. “Like the coward I am, I denied Him.”“Peter, you weren’t a coward. You tried to fight last night; I saw you!” I insisted. “It’s not too late now! We could rescue Him!”“No, we can’t,” Peter said in despair. “When I followed Him to the council, people accused me three times of being with Him. I denied it all three times because I was afraid. The third time, just as the words had left my mouth, the rooster crowed.” “So?” “Remember He said that before the rooster crowed, I would deny Him three times.”The realization slowly sunk in and I slumped to the floor. Jesus had seen what was coming and had done nothing. He hadn’t even let us fight for Him. A moment later I sprung to my feet, rushing down the stairs and out the door. No matter what happened, I had to see Him and see His fate. I ran as hard as I could towards the city gate - towards the scene of execution. Glancing behind me, I saw James and Peter following me, though at a slower pace. I sped by the gate guards without waiting to see if they recognized me and continued on towards the dreaded place - the Place of the Skull.As I neared the place my courage began to fail me, so I turned aside and climbed a nearby hill where I could see and not be seen. I hadn’t realized till this moment that tears were spilling down my face. I was almost to the top when I realized someone else was at the crest of the hill, half hidden among the rocks. I nearly turned back, but then I recognized the face of Matthew, the former tax-collector, one of our group. I hurried up to him. Simon the Zealot and Phillip were also there, as well as Mary Magdalene and a few of the other women who had followed us.“What’s happening?” I questioned Matthew as I looked towards the place. Matthew jumped as I spoke, and I realized he hadn’t noticed my approach. “What’s going on?” I repeated. He swallowed twice before he could answer. “They arrived not half an hour ago. It was awful Andrew! They nailed Him to that cross and hung Him with a couple of thieves! The crowd has been mocking Him and spitting on Him, and the priests are leading it!”I clenched my fist in helpless anger as I stared at the three crosses. “Where’s John and Mary?” I heard James ask from behind me. “They’re over there by the cross,” Simon answered. “None of the rest of us were brave enough to go that close.”We stood there in silence for a long time. All of us had tears streaming down our faces. Jesus had been our hope, our leader, our longed for Messiah, and now He was being killed.Suddenly at about the sixth hour, darkness closed over the entire countryside. I looked at the others in worry. Was the world going to end? We could barely see Golgotha anymore. I felt like running, but didn’t know where to run to, so I stayed still, watching the cross, which was silhouetted against the dusky sky. Hours passed. We stayed rooted to the spot, watching because we couldn’t turn away. Suddenly, we heard a cry that carried to us from the hill. I recognized the voice as His. “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”“What did He say?” I whispered into the darkness. “It sounded like He was calling for Elijah!”“No, He said ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?’” James choked. We watched as someone ran and grabbed a sponge of vinegar wine and offered it to Him. After He drank it, we heard a shout. “It is finished!”Then Jesus bowed His head and died. “No!” I shouted, but my words were lost in a sudden and violent earthquake. I was thrown off my feet as the rocks all around us split and tumbled down the hill. After a moment the earthquake subsided and I warily got back on my feet. Looking in the direction of the hill, I saw that the crowd around the cross was breaking up. I looked at Peter, and he nodded. We quietly made our way back towards the city.

The next day was the sabbath, a day set aside for rest. For us, however, there was no rest today. The day dragged on for what seemed an eternity as the twelve or more of us sat in the upper room where we had last been with Jesus. Our hearts were full of fear, confusion, and sorrow. At all times one of us stood at the window and watched the street, always expecting to see a company of soldiers coming down the street to take us away, but they never came. Mary and the other women told us that two of the members of the Jewish Council had buried Jesus; but since it was the sabbath, we couldn’t even go to see the tomb. The night passed even more slowly than the day. I spent the night tossing and turning on my bed. I couldn’t seem to get comfortable, couldn’t seem to fall asleep. Judging by the sounds of it, neither could the others. As soon as dawn came I rose from my bed and began to pace. I glanced across the room to see the women already busy preparing spices and ointments to anoint Jesus’ body with. I had to choke down tears as I hurried out of the room. Once in the privacy of the storage room I broke down and wept. Why? Why had He died? I thought. He was to be the Promised Messiah!I was so caught up in my own grief that I scarcely noticed the sound of the door opening and closing as the women left for the tomb. In fact I hardly noticed anything at all until I heard a pounding on the front door. Instantly I was on my feet. The Romans must have finally come! I thought. I peeked into the room just in time to see John swing open the door, Peter right behind him. I let out a sigh of relief. Instead of soldiers at the door, with drawn swords and angry faces, Mary Magdalene stood there. Her face was flushed and she panted for breath. “Mary!” John exclaimed. “What’s wrong? Did you run all the way here? Where are the other women?”“They have taken the body of our Lord!” Mary exclaimed breathlessly. “And we do not know where they have laid him!”The instant he heard this Peter bolted out the door with John right behind him and Mary bringing up the rear. I hurried to the door and looked after them. John was already gaining on Peter as they sped in the direction of the tomb.“Andrew, what’s going on?” James demanded from the stairs. “Peter and John just left for the tomb,” I replied. “Mary Magdalene just returned and said they’d taken the body!”“Quick! Close the door!” James ordered. “I’m afraid they may have just walked into a trap!”“Ran, more like it,” I said nervously as I closed the door and slid the bolt into place. We waited tensely for them to return. I began to pace back and forth again. What was going to happen to them?After what seemed like hours a knock sounded at the door. I ran to open it, but James made it before me. Outside stood the rest of the women, their faces aglow. They all tried to speak at once.“We saw Him!”“He’s alive!”“The stone was rolled away and there were angels who said He was alive!”“Hold on!” James said. “Mother, what happened?” he asked, turning to Mary.“We went to the tomb this morning with spices to anoint the body, but the stone was already rolled away. We went in and two angels were sitting there. They said, ‘Women, why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!’ We were all terrified and were hurrying back, when Jesus Himself appeared to us!”“This is all nonsense!” Philip interjected from the stairs. “Jesus is dead. You couldn’t have seen Him!”“But we did!” Joanna countered. “Remember how He said He would die, and rise on the third day? This is the third day!”Philip shook his head and ascended the stairs. I too was doubtful of the women’s story. Since when did dead men come back to life. Of course, there had been Lazarus, but Jesus had been there to raise him. Now Jesus was dead, and that was the end of it. Minutes later Peter and John returned without Mary. John seemed to believe that Jesus had risen as well, but Peter was still doubtful. I began to believe that wishful thinking had affected the women and John. Since they had seen an empty tomb, they instantly believed Jesus was alive. To make matters worse, Mary Magdalene arrived, saying Jesus had appeared to her also, at the tomb this time. The rest of us shook our heads and began to wonder what we would do with our lives now. Cleopas and another of the followers had already made up their minds and set out for their hometown of Emmaus.“Do you think we’ll just go back to Galilee, Peter?” I asked my brother. “I suppose there’s no other option,” he sighed. “With Jesus gone, we’re back to being simple fishermen.” He sighed again. That night around sunset, we received a surprise. The two men who had set out for Emmaus earlier were back at the door, demanding entrance.“What’s the matter?” Simon demanded as he opened the door. “Shouldn’t you have been in Emmaus by now?”“We saw Him!” Cleopas exclaimed.“What? How?” John demanded eagerly. “He met us on the road, but we didn’t know who He was until He broke the bread!” Cleopas explained. “We were walking along talking about Friday and He came and asked us why we were sad. We told Him and He explained to us why the Christ had to die from the scriptures. Then when we asked Him to come to dine with us, He blessed and broke the bread like He always used to and then disappeared.” “And so we came back here to tell you!” the other added. “But it can’t be! He’s dead!” I exclaimed.No one answered. They were all staring with fear and joy mixed on their faces at something behind me.I turned slowly and nearly fainted, for standing behind me—His arms outstretched—was Jesus!“Peace be to you!” He said.My knees gave way under me and I slumped to the floor. There stood the Man I had seen die on the cross, now alive!“Why are you troubled? And Why do doubts arise in your hearts?” He said. It seemed as if every word was directed at me. “Behold, My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see I have.”When He had said this He showed us His hands and feet.I still sat open-mouthed, not believing for joy. Could it be? I asked myself in dazed wonder. Philip leaned against the wall, wide eyed, while John had tears of joy running down his face.“Have you any food here?” Jesus asked as we all stood in shocked disbelief. Peter, ever the practical one, quickly ran and got a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb from the kitchen. Jesus ate the food Peter offered. I quickly realized that ghosts don’t eat. He was alive! He is alive!These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you,” Jesus said after He had eaten. “That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

“Only a while after that we saw Him ascend into Heaven, after commanding us to ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’ And we have been doing that ever since.”“You really believe that, don’t you,” my heckler from before said quietly.“I do. If I didn’t, I would be a fisherman in Galilee, hiding from every soldier I saw. But because it is true, I am here in the power of the Spirit, sharing this truth with you. I am a witness for Christ, and I am not the only one either. All the others are also spreading the message all over the world, and some have even given their lives for it. Yes, my friend, I know for a fact that it is true and believe it with all my heart. The question is, will you believe?”

August 27, 1776, 12:00 pm, Brooklyn Heights, NY.“General Washington, Sir,” Alexander Hamilton said, pointing with his finger towards the Gowanus Road. “Stirling was attacked on three sides and is retreating across the millpond. It looks like they will be successful.”Washington turned his spyglass towards the scene and watched for a moment in silence.“Who’s that holding the retreat?” he asked abruptly. “They keep charging against the greatly superior British!”Hamilton raised his spyglass and scanned the battle. “Looks like the 1st Maryland Infantry sir,” he reported. “They’re charging again! There’s no way anyone could survive that!”“Good God, be with them!” Washington exclaimed. “What good men I must lose this day!”

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August 27, 1776, 1:00 pm, Gowanus Road, Long Island.I spat the end of the cartridge out of my mouth and primed my musket. Glancing around I saw the remnants of our men doing the same. The British cannon boomed again and we all ducked as the grapeshot exploded over our heads. Smoke filled the air and I steeled myself for another assault. Five times we had charged forward at that stone house, and five times we had been driven back, losing more men each time. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and hands then drained my canteen as I waited for another rush.I looked around at the faces of my comrades. Some wore a look of fearful apprehension, probably wondering if they would be the next men lying prone on the field. Others showed anger, as they looked out on our other men the Brits had shot down, while still others faces were set like granite, unmoved and unreadable. Despite all the different reactions there was one uniting factor among all, a determination to do or die, to drive the Redcoats and Hessians back, or to be killed in the attempt. I felt proud to be part of this courageous band.“Come on boys!” Gist shouted to us. “We can take them again! This is the time we’ll take that house!”“Charge!” Stirling ordered waving his sword over his head.“Charge!” we all shouted in unison as we ran forward over the bloody ground yet again. An iron determination was rising in me not to stop until I was killed, or took the house. We rushed on like a mighty wave into the blasting of the British cannon and muskets. Once again the attack seemed to waver as we got nearer, but I didn’t slow up for a moment. Screaming out a battle cry, I rushed at the British gunners. I pulled up short and fired my musket into the man that was about to light the cannon. He stumbled backwards and fell, and I sprang upon the others, swinging my musket like a club.One of them drew a pistol and pointed it straight at me. I was too far away to knock the weapon aside in time to save my life. Just as he was about to pull the trigger there was the report of a rifle and he toppled sideways. I glanced to my right to see Quinn drop his empty gun and pull out a long knife, then close with one of the gunners. A third soldier jumped over the stone wall and rushed towards the house, followed by a second and third man. Soon our entire company was sweeping over the British position at the house. I snatched a musket and bayonet from a fallen British soldier and followed the others. A huge Irishman lunged at me with his bayonet and I deflected it upwards with my musket barrel, then smashed the butt of my gun into his jaw. He stumbled back and I used the opportunity to finish him with the bayonet.Several of our boys had broke down the door and there was fierce fighting going on inside. I rushed past the bodies of dead and dying men that lay scattered about the doorway and into the thick of the fight. British and Continental soldiers were locked in a duel to the death. The acrid smell of gunpowder smoke permeated the air as pistols and muskets blasted flame and smoke. Swords and bayonets flashed as men who during peace time might have been friends and neighbors fought desperately to kill each other. Such are the cruel ways of war.I rushed forward with a shout at a British soldier who had just cut down an American. He saw me and leveled his musket straight in my face. I heard the click of the trigger and saw the flash of his priming, but the gun never went off. With a yell I dove at him, bayonet first, and heard the sickening sound of steel entering his body. I saw the surprise and pain on his face for a moment, then he slumped back, dead. I stood up and had to fight hard to keep from vomiting. It was one thing to shoot a man from far away, and a whole ‘nother when I had to run a bayonet into him so close I could smell his sweat. I strove to maintain control of my emotion and threw myself back into the battle. I knew the price of our freedom would be paid in blood, and I prayed that it would be won soon.The battle in the house raged on fiercely for a few more minutes, but the British resistance was overrun by our superior numbers, though they fought bravely. Within minutes we held the position. “Quick, turn those guns around! We’ll knock the British cannon further back out of commission!” Major Gist shouted. I turned and ran out of the house to where the two cannon lay abandoned. I grabbed the trails of one gun and pulled with all my might. Bill suddenly appeared at my side and together we pulled the big gun around to the other side of the house and pointed it back at the British guns, which were shelling our troops in retreat, the house, and us.“I think it’s loaded,” Quinn said as he quickly lit one of the extinguished match ropes. One of the men dropped beside the gun and lined up its sights on the British artillery.“Okay, fire!” he shouted, as he jumped back from the cannon. Quinn lowered the smoking wick into the touch hole and the gun blasted. My ears nearly split apart with the report and I coughed and sputtered in the thick white smoke.“I think we hit!” one of the men shouted. Sure enough, one of the British cannon now lay on it’s side, pointing its muzzle harmlessly into the sky.“Look out!” Quinn shouted, pulling me to the ground. There was the whine of incoming shells, then the tremendous explosion of grapeshot canisters. One of the men screamed and clutched his face, blood streaming from between his fingers, while another two dropped dead to the ground without so much as a groan.“Quick, reload!” Sergeant Brenton shouted from behind me.“I don’t know how!” I said desperately.“I do,” one man said as he stepped forward to the gun. Two others followed and immediately began to load the cannon. Off to our right the second cannon was now in action.Again and again we loaded and fired our two pieces, while the enemy fired back just as furiously. Men dropped on my left and right and shells slammed into the house, yet I myself wasn’t hit. The din was almost more than my ears could stand, but I stood by and helped in any way I could.“Look! We’ve hit their last gun!” I shouted after the smoke cleared from one of our shots.Wild cheering broke from our men as we realized we would be free from the enemy’s incessant shelling.“Oh no!” one of the men suddenly broke off. “Their infantry is coming again!”“Reload and give ‘em grapeshot!” Quinn ordered as he picked up the ram rod. We worked as quickly as we could and were just about to touch off the guns when Sergeant Brenton came up behind me.“We’ve been ordered to join the retreat!” he called. “They’re too much for us to hold!”“What?” Bill demanded. “After all this?”“That is an order!” Brenton yelled over his shoulder as he hurried towards the bridge. “They’ve nearly surrounded us, and they will if we don’t get outta here now!”I glanced back at the oncoming regulars. They were advancing fast, bayonets fixed.“Fire these guns then spike them!” Major Gist ordered as he came up from around the house.“Where’s General Stirling?” one man asked.“He was cut off with fifty men, I think he’s trying to break through the British line. Now fire these guns then spike them right away!”“Yes sir,” the man holding the wick answered as he lowered it into the touch hole.“BLAM! BLAM!” the two cannon reported one after another, cutting swaths of British soldiers down, yet they kept coming.“Hurry and spike ‘em!” Quinn ordered, “We’ll give ya cover from the Brits.”Bill, Quinn, and I seized our muskets, and along with a few others opened fire on the British. I watched as our volley took effect, cutting down half a dozen men in the leading ranks.“Reload!” Quinn shouted. I grabbed for a cartridge and realized I only had one left. I loaded it as fast as possible, but the Redcoat line was only ten feet from where we stood when I raised the gun to my shoulder.“Finished!” I heard one of the men at the cannon shout, and I wasn’t sure if he meant that we were finished, or that they had finished spiking the gun. I could see the expressions on the Redcoats faces and hear their shouts and curses as they ran at us. Bullets sang past me as I pointed forward my gun and fired, without bothering to aim.“Run!” I heard Quinn shout above the din of battle. Without a second thought I dropped my musket and ran. There was nothing more I could do here, my ammunition was gone, and there were more redcoats than leaves on the trees. I looked to the left and right and saw the gunners running along with me, away from the hoard of oncoming Lobsterbacks.Directly ahead of us was the millpond, and our only option was to swim across it. I kicked off my boots as I ran and dropped my canteen and empty cartridge box. Just as I reached the bank I noticed another soldier just to the left of me. We leapt into the water at the same moment, and I struck out swimming, while the other soldier just floundered in the water. I quickly realized he couldn’t swim. I swam back over to him, grasped his collar, and struck out again. He wrapped his arm around me and we continued on.Suddenly a bullet whistled over our heads and struck the water ahead of us, skipping like a stone on the surface for a moment, then sinking. I glanced back to see a British soldier on the bank, reloading his musket. A second one stood a little ways to the left of him, aiming carefully at a man who was scrambling out of the water. The musket blasted and the American slumped back into the millpond, staining the water red with his blood. I swam as fast as I could with the soldier’s arm wrapped around me for support, and we gained the bank moments later. I pushed the man onto the muddy shore and he turned to pull me up. The British musket behind us reported again and a bullet spattered into the mud only an inch from my head. The man quickly pulled me up and we took off running across the field.“That was way too close!” the soldier said in a voice I recognized as Major Gist’s. I looked in surprise at the man I had rescued without breaking my running stride. We weren’t safe yet.

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August 27, 1776, 9:00 pm, Shore of the East River.I sat quietly with the remnants of the Maryland 1st Infantry as we waited our turn to cross in the boats. General Washington had decided to retreat the entire army to Manhattan under the cover of darkness and fog. Only twenty or so of us Marylanders had made it back, and I hadn’t seen Bill or Quinn among them. I cursed myself for not standing and dying with them when the British had overrun our positions.“You all fought well, men,” Major Gist said quietly to us. “We may have lost this battle, but we live to fight another day.”At that moment I heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind me. I turned to see Old Quinn carrying a man over his shoulder.“Quinn! You made it!” I exclaimed as I stood to greet him. He just nodded and gently set down the man he had brought back. I looked down at the boy and barely recognized my friend Bill, he was so covered in mud and blood. I quickly knelt down next to him.“Bill!” I cried as I grasped his hand. Bill’s eyes opened at my voice and he smiled up at me.“Thank God you made it,” he whispered. “Old Quinn was right, I wasn’t going to come back in one piece.”“You’re gonna be fine!” I exclaimed.Bill smiled, then coughed, and blood trickled from his lips.“They got me pretty good,” he said, then coughed again. “I don’t think I’ll ever see another sunrise. But Dick, I want you to know, you fought bravely today, more so than some grown men, and I want you to know, I’m proud to be your friend.” With that his body shuddered, and his eyes closed.“No!” I whispered, and my body shook with sobs as my best friend’s life drained out of him.“He was a brave boy,” Old Quinn said quietly. “You were too.”Tears ran down my face as I slowly let Billy’s hand drop from mine. A couple of soldiers came over and lifted his body, then carried it away. He would be buried like a true soldier, with his grave facing east, towards the next sunrise he would never get to see.“Time to go,” Major Gist said quietly as he laid a hand on my shoulder. I silently stood to my feet, my heart heavy. Our group made our way towards the boats that would take the army to Manhattan, in what would become one of the greatest evacuations of all time. Quinn handed me Bill’s musket, which he had brought all the way from the battlefield.“Next time we fight ‘em,” he whispered to me. “Give ‘em one for Billy.”I took the musket and nodded to him gratefully, wiping the tears from my eyes with one hand. Every soldier loses friends, and the cruelty of war forces him to move on with his life, trust in God, and fight another day. However, we would never forget those who fought and died in Freedom’s Fight.

Historical note: Washington and the Continental Army would retreat first to Manhattan, and then to New Jersey, avoiding destruction by Howe’s army and living to fight another day. This retreat was made possible by the fight put up by the ‘Maryland 400’, or 1st Maryland Infantry, who guarded the retreat of the army after Howe’s flanking maneuver. Because of their heroic actions in this battle the regiment would become known as the ‘Old Line,’ which is how Maryland earned the nickname of ‘The Old Line State.’

​ Author’s note: I have done my best to describe the heroic fighting of the ‘Maryland 400’ and others in the fierce battle of Long Island, and to be historically accurate with the information available to me. Some of the events written here may be slightly inaccurate though, due to my lack of information on the specifics of the battle. The characters are also completely from my imagination.

August 22, 1776, 8:00 am, New York Bay:An advance guard of 4,000 British troops leave Staten Island, New York, and land unopposed on American held Long Island. By noon 15,000 troops and forty pieces of artillery were on shore.

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August 26, 1776, 9:00 pm, Long Island, New York:The majority of the British forces move out in a secret flanking maneuver through the undefended Jamaica Pass, while the remainder of the British and Hessian troops remain to attack the front of the American line through Gowanus Pass. ***********************

August 27, 1776, 4:30 am, Guan Heights, Long Island:“Get up! Get up! The British are on the march!” Sergeant Brenton bawled out. I jerked upright and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, then kicked off my blanket and reached for my musket.“How close?” Bill Stanton asked groggily as he tried to pull on his uniform jacket.“They’ve been marching up the Gowanus Road. Reached the Red Lion Tavern around one o’clock!” the Sergeant replied, then kicked a still sleeping soldier in the ribs. “This is it, boy! Don’t lay around like a fat sow! Get moving!”All around us the 1st Maryland Infantry was astir, and by the firelight I could see the men of 6th Company beginning to assemble. I quickly rolled up my bedroll and attached it to my knapsack, then hurried to join the other men. Moments later 1st Company’s men joined our ranks as we waited for orders in the early morning chill.“Do you think this is it?” seventeen-year-old Bill asked excitedly.“I don’t know, I hope so,” I replied as I checked the flint on my musket. A lot of us boys had joined up together when the war started and we were chomping at the bit for action.At that moment Major Gist rode up.“Men!” he shouted, “We are moving forward with the 1st Delaware Regiment to reinforce Colonel Atlee and his men. You are to obey orders explicitly and to stand firm in battle. Keep your powder dry and fall in! The Connecticut regiment should be along to reinforce us shortly.”After a few moments jostling in the darkness we all managed to get in formation and began our march, following the Major’s white horse through the gray light of dawn.“I wonder if it’s going to be a fight!” Bill said enthusiastically.“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” one of the older men retorted in a husky whisper. “You young uns ain't seen no battle yet, and heaven knows ya don’t want ta neither! I was at th’ battle o’ Bunker ‘ill and it was nothin’ but brutal slaughter and bayonets and the like. No, boy, you don’t want this ‘ere march to end in a fight with them lobsters. Twenty chances to one you shan’t make it out in one piece, and if you do, it’ll be cause you turned an’ ran like a rabbit when them redcoats first came in view!”Bill shrugged his shoulders and shifted his musket strap. I could imagine him rolling his eyes in the darkness.“So, what do you think?” I asked Bill in a low tone. “Do you think you’ll run?”“Naw, not me! When I see them redcoats I’ll put lead in their eyes!” Bill retorted confidently.I sighed as I thought of what I would do. I knew all the camp fire bravado we had shared would be tested under fire, and even if I didn’t run I knew we weren’t the only people looking to put lead in our enemies’ eyes.After twenty minutes march the command “Men Halt!” was shouted and we came to a clumsy stop. The 1st Delaware Regiment also halted to our right. I strained my neck to see over the others and spotted General Stirling sitting atop his horse, the first rays of dawn lighting up his face. The others obviously saw him too, for the mass of men hushed to silence.“Men,” Stirling said in his Scottish brogue. “The British will be here very soon. It is our job to defend this road and thwart the British attack. I am trusting you men to do it. I want you to take up positions along this hill and give them Redcoats bullets for breakfast when they come down that road. Let’s teach them Lobsters a thing or two about fighting!”“Hear, hear, General!” I yelled, but my shout was swallowed up in the shouts of the other men. Stirling raised a hand and we all silenced.“Very good! Now, take up positions along this ditch. The Brits will have to come along that road unless they want to cross the swamp.”We all spread out along the canal that drained the swampy area. I leaned my musket over a fallen log and cocked back the hammer.“Aw, my boots are getting wet!” Bill complained as he tried to get out of the puddle he was standing in.“Quit yer complainin’,” Old Quinn snapped. “You’ll be grateful fer that mucky ditch when the Brits are on the other side of it!”Bill shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes, as he usually did when Old Quinn spoke to him, then set to emptying his boots of the murky water that had seeped in.“You know he’s right, Bill,” I said to my friend as I uncorked my canteen. “He’s been under fire, you haven’t, so why don’t you pay him a bit more respect?”“Aw, he’s just an old hound, got more bark in him than bite,” Bill replied with a snort. “We’ll be the ones whipping the Brits while he runs home to his mummy with his tail between his legs!”I shook my head then downed a draft of freezing cold water that hurt my teeth. As I replaced the cork in my canteen I noticed Quinn eyeing me.“You a prayin’ man, private Dick?” he asked.“Yes sir,” I replied, thinking it a rather strange question.“Well then, I’d suggest that you be sendin’ your prayers up a fast an’ furious like, as I’ll be a-doin’, as we’ll be a-needing God’s help pretty soon. If you look through them trees yonder you’ll see them Lobsters a-comin’.”I peered in the direction he had pointed and my eyes got as big as saucers, for I caught the glint of sunlight on bayonets and the sound of marching feet. My heart started beating faster, and I started praying ‘fast and furious’, for I could now see hundreds, if not thousands, of British Redcoats marching towards us in their perfect rows. Line after line of muskets with fixed bayonets moved down the road towards us.“Ready men!” Sergeant Brenton yelled. “Level muskets! Don’t shoot until you know you can hit! Take your time and be sure of your aim!”I lined up my sights on an officer and steadied myself.“FIRE!” Brenton yelled, and the entire line of the 6th Company erupted in the sound of gunfire. Through the gray smoke I saw the officer topple from his horse and suddenly the realization that I had just killed another human being hit me in the pit of the stomach. I nearly vomited and my head spun.“Reload!” I heard the Sergeant yell, and mechanically I set the butt of my musket on the ground.“Handle cartridge!”With shaking fingers I pulled a fresh cartridge from my pouch and bit off the end to expose the powder.“Prime!”I poured a small amount of the powder from the open cartridge into the firing pan, then dumped the rest of the powder and the ball into the muzzle, pushing the paper after it.“Ram!” Brenton shouted.I pulled my ramrod from its place and shoved it down the muzzle, ramming the powder, ball, and wading home.At that moment there was a shout, then the blast of smoke and flame from the British line as they fired in return. Musket balls sung around me like angry bees and men to my right and left screamed in pain and fell. Panic rose in me as a lead ball grazed my shirt. I glanced over at Quinn, and he stood like a flint rock, and that gave me courage.“Return ramrod!” Sergeant Breton shouted as if nothing had happened. I inserted the tip of my rod into it’s housing and pushed it in place.“Aim...FIRE!” our Sergeant shouted. My gun bucked as I squeezed back the trigger and the sixty caliber ball hurtled towards the red line. Smoke filled the air and I completely lost sight of the enemy as I slammed my musket butt to the ground to repeat the process of loading.At that moment a bullet sang past me and struck the ground just behind my friend Billy. He dropped his gun, screaming, “We’re all going to die! We’re all going to die!”I stared at him in disbelief as he took off running back the way we had come. Like a flash Old Quinn had dropped his musket and sped after him like a racehorse. An instant later he had caught up to the terrified boy and seized him by the collar and began to drag him back to our cover. When they were only ten feet away another British volley rang out and both of them dropped to the ground. For an instant I thought they were dead, and was just about to rush towards them, when Quinn rose to his feet and dashed the rest of the way to the thick brush, dragging a terrified Billy behind him.“Don’t run like a coward!” he yelled at the sobbing boy as he shoved his musket into his hands and closed the fingers around it. “You’ll only be killed by running! Fight it out!”Bill nodded and swallowed hard. I quickly snapped my mind back into the battle, raised my loaded musket and fired at a young soldier, who was on one knee aiming carefully. My ball smashed into his forehead and he toppled forward and into the ditch. My stomach churned once more and I had to fight to keep control of myself as I pulled out another cartridge. The British troops came on towards us, bayonets fixed. Every step of the way they faced our withering fire, which cut down dozens of men with each volley. I saw the puffs of smoke as they fired in return, and the bullets whined over our heads. “They’re shooting high!” Quinn muttered. “At this rate they’ll kill every bird on Long Island.” “Fire!” Sergeant Brenton yelled. Instantly our lines erupted again in the sound of musketry and it seemed as if not a bullet missed. The Redcoats faltered, then began to fall back, leaving dead and wounded on the road behind them. Their officers urged them forward, and they obediently moved up the hill once more. I reloaded as quickly as I could, but the British seemed to move faster, and they were nearly upon us when I once again threw my muzzle forward.“Fire!” Brenton ordered. I pulled the trigger and the British lines disappeared from my view in a white cloud of musket smoke. As soon as the weapon had discharged I had another cartridge out and was reloading my musket. When the smoke had cleared enough for me to see where the British had been, all that remained were the dead and wounded, while the main body of the troops was retreating down the hill. “We’re doing it! We’re winning!” Bill shouted as he fired his musket. I rammed down a cartridge and replaced my ramrod, then fired again. I realized that we were doing it, we were winning!“Don’t rejoice too soon, they’ll be comin’ back!” Quinn warned. And he was right. Those British didn’t charge us once, but over and over again, through sheets of musket fire from two sides. Time and again they were stopped and driven back, leaving more fallen men behind each time, yet they regrouped and charged forward again.“How can they stand it!” Bill ejaculated. “They’ve already lost scores of men, but they keep coming back!”“Learn from ‘em, boy. Afore long you might ‘ave to do the same yerself!” Quinn said. “Besides, I’ve seen much heavier casualties in battle afore.”“Those British are brave men!” I said to myself as I rammed another cartridge down my musket. I wished I didn’t have to be standing here sending them to their deaths, but such was the cruel ways of war.Suddenly I heard the sound of a galloping horse behind me and turned to see General Stirling riding up to Major Gist. I strained my ears to listen.“We’ve been outflanked and the entire left has collapsed. Howe secretly marched through the Jamaica pass and hit Stirling in the rear while he was trying to hold Battle Hill. The Hessians are attacking our boys on the left and smashing them. We’ll be surrounded if we don’t fall back too!”“Yes sir,” Gist replied. “All right men!” he shouted. “Fall back, fire, and fall back.”“We held them for four hours, and now we have to lose it all!” I heard Quinn mutter under his breath.Slowly at first, then more quickly, our line began to fall back down Gowanus road, loading and firing as we went.“We’re done for now! They’re behind us!” I heard someone yell, and turned to see column after column of redcoats marching south towards us down the Gowanus Road.“Come on men! This way, this way!” General Stirling shouted. He redirected us down a small road that lead across a bridge that spanned a millpond. It was our only escape left.Suddenly Major Gist shouted out, “Men, hold here! We need to cover the retreat for the rest of the Army. That’s right, my Maryland boys! Come on, form battle line!”I quickly turned and ran towards where he stood waving his sword to rally us. The fear I had felt earlier seemed to evaporate as I watched my commander braving the enemy fire. General Stirling rode up to him.“That’s right, good man!” he called out. “I’ll be here with you!”Soon all the remnants of the 1st Maryland Infantry had gathered and we quickly formed battle line. I looked desperately for Bill or Quinn, but could see neither of them. Behind me I could hear the sound of many men and a few horses crossing the bridge over the millpond, which was the whole army’s only way of retreat back to Brooklyn Heights.“Load your muskets, men!” Gist shouted. “We need to hold this bridge from the Redcoats!”“You see that stone house them Brits are positioning their cannon by?” Stirling called to us in his Scottish accent. “That’s an American house, ain’t it boys? Let’s drive out them Lobsterbacks!”I looked towards the object of our next attack. It was an old, Dutch style stone house, surrounded by low stone walls. A detachment of British troops had moved forward of the rest of their men and had positioned two field guns behind the stone wall. The guns were now in a position to threaten our soldiers in retreat. We needed to put those cannon out of action.“Charge!” Gist yelled and kicked his horse to a gallop.I let loose a battle cry and took off after him, musket at the ready. “God, give us strength!” I prayed under my breath.“BOOM! BOOM!” ahead of us the British cannon sounded, as puffs of white smoke issued from the stone wall in front of the house. I could hear the canisters of grapeshot whine over my head, and explode somewhere to the rear of me. The staccato of musketry from the house ahead and the fields beyond cut into our ranks and dropped boys to the left and right of me. Still I fought my way forward.About twenty paces from the house I realized that I was alone. Most of the others had either been killed or driven back by the heavy British fire. Fear welled up inside me, but I forced it down, dropped to one knee, and took careful aim at a redcoat officer outside the house. I pulled the trigger, then turned and ran after my retreating comrades, not waiting to see the effect of my shot. To my right I saw Old Quinn fire his musket, then turn and follow me. The bullets were flying about so hotly that it seemed as if no man could live under the fire, yet by God’s grace I still stood, as did many of our boys.“Come on boys!” I heard Gist shouting. “Rally, men, rally!”“We can drive those red hornets outta there!” Stirling called. “Reload men, and we’ll charge ‘em again!”

"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" My alarm clock brought me out of my pleasant dreams and intoreality. Five o'clock already? I thought to myself as I rolled over and turned off the offendingobject. Out of all the changes since our family moved out to grandpa's ranch a month ago, thealarm clock was the most necessary and the least liked. I had never been used to getting up soearly back in Dallas, two hundred and fifty miles away, when all I had to do before eight was myprivate prayer time. I was, however, enjoying the feeling of productivity and the fruits of all myhard work was starting to show.I lay staring at the ceiling for a minute longer then kicked off my blankets and jumped out ofbed. No time for dawdling if I hoped to be dressed and have my prayer/Bible time done by 5:45.An hour later I hurried outside to the hay barn to load up the tractor trailer for the horses.The cows don't get hay, they graze off the land. I opened one of the big doors a crack andslipped inside. Once my eyes adjusted to the dim twilight inside I saw Grandpa forking hay intothe bed of the trailer. Beat me to it again! I thought."Morning Gramps!" I called out."Mornin' Sam," he replied, nodding his head in my direction. "Kinda early fer you to be out onyer birthday, I half expected you to sleep in.""Well Gramps," I said, trying to match his drawl, "You was a-sayin' last night that at fifteen Ioughta be growin' up like a man, so I a-figured that I had better be up at the crack of light to domy work.""Now don't go and get too big for yer britches sonny, 'cause ifin you thought it was the crackof dawn just now ye'd be mistaken. Sun comes up around five thirty during the fall, that wasnigh on to half an hour ago."I racked my brain for a reply, and finding none set to work loading the trailer.When we had finished I was heading to the double doors of the old red barn when Grandpastopped me and gestured towards the tractor."I figure you can drive 'er today if you want, but of course if you don't want to..." he said witha wink."Thanks Gramps!" I whooped and vaulted into the seat. Not that I hadn’t ever driven atractor before, but never THE tractor. Like everything else about Grandpa's farm, this tractorwas an old school machine. It had been in the family for two or three generations and wasprobably one of the first ones ever made. Well, maybe not that old, but it was an opportunity notto be passed up.As Grandpa swung the double doors open I read the greasy name written behind thesteering wheel. John Deere, 1939 model B. It may not have been the strongest or newesttractor in the world, but the feeling of driving a historic vehicle was even better than drivingsomething like that.I turned the key and the engine roared to life. Grandpa had taken good care of that old thing.I pulled out of the barn and Gramps jumped on the trailer with the agility of a cat. The tractorwasn't the only old thing on the farm that worked like new.It took a few minutes to drive down to the stable where we found Dad was already at work,filling the water troughs and the like. I stopped the tractor and hopped off."Morning Dad!" I called as I pitched a forkful of hay into the feeding trough."Morning Samuel," Dad called back without turning his head. "It's rather early for you to beout on your birthday. I half expected you to sleep in."I grinned at Grandpa and threw another forkful into the trough. Like father like son, I wonderhow much like them I am. Dad was Gramps’s youngest son like Gramps’s was his dad's youngest. I am the oldest boy of our family. I wonder if that makes me less like them? Anywaythere's work to do, can't just stand here thinking. I went to brush down the horse I used. Grampshad named her Arizona, the state he got her from. She had a beautiful white coat with largebrown spots on it. I had grown to be very fond of her and often brought a carrot to her in themornings."Hi girl. Sorry, no carrot today," I said, stroking her mane. "Since it's my birthday, I broughtyou an apple instead, so you can celebrate." I pulled the fruit from my pocket and held it out toher. She gently took it from my hand and removed all traces of its existence with a few loudchomps, then nickered gently as if to say 'thanks'.We finished the feedings and then drove back to the barn, parked the tractor, and wentinside for breakfast. The aroma of bacon and eggs hit me as I walked through the door. Igrinned, that was one more thing I liked about the country, hearty meals. Gramps, Dad, and Itook our place at the table next to my three little brothers. Joel and Matthew (they're twins, sixyears younger than me, and as much alike as two peas in a pod), and Timothy (2, we usuallycalled him Tim). My two younger sisters, Sarah(11) and Lydia(6) were also sitting patiently at thetable. Grandma, Mom, and 13 year old Rachel bustled about the kitchen. Mom brought a jug ofmilk and set it down while Grandma placed the steaming hot eggs on the table once they allfound their seats, Grandpa blessed the food."LORD, we thank you for your many blessings to us. Thank you for this food we are about topartake of. Please bless it to us for strength and nourishment. And we thank you for the fifteenyears of Sam's life, may it please you to give him many more. Amen!""Amen!" we all repeated, and then fell to stuffing ourselves with as much bacon, eggs,biscuits, and fresh milk as we could fit into us. It was a great breakfast.Just as I was finishing the last scraps of cheesy eggs, Dad nodded to Mom and they bothgot up from the table. A moment later they came back with several packages, wrapped in brownpaper."Happy birthday, Samuel!" Mom said as she replaced my plate with a rectangular package.Dad set the others on the table beside it."Thanks!" I said, my mouth still partially full of biscuit. A little tag on it said From: Mom andDad. I tore away the paper and slowly pulled out the package inside."Wow! Thanks! This is just like the bowie knife I was dying for at Cabella's!""It is almost exactly the same, except this one is custom made," Dad explained. "It has yourname engraved on the blade.""Wow, Thank you!" I said, carefully opening the oakwood showcase it came in and lifting outthe foot long knife. I ran my finger along from the perfectly smooth chestnut handle to the verytip of the steel blade (not on the cutting end, of course, as the brand new knife was almost razorsharp). Sure enough, my name was on it, Samuel David Wile."Is that part real gold?" Sarah asked, pointing to the hilt."No, I don't think so," Dad said as he examined it. "Gold is a soft metal and wouldn't last longon a knife that is meant to be used. I believe it's polished brass, but it sure looks like gold.""Here, open this one," Rachel said, handing me a gift bag. I pulled out the tissue paper andlifted out the nicest leather knife sheath I had ever seen."Thanks Rachel!" I exclaimed. I then slipped the bowie knife into it and popped the snapstogether over the hilt. "It's a perfect fit!""Oh good, I was worried it wouldn't be!" she said grinning at my pleasure."I like how my initials are on it." I said as I threaded the loop onto my belt."Thanks! It was my idea," she said with a wide smile. "I'm glad you like it.""Matthew also got something for you," Mom said, handing me another package.The rest of the gifts were from the younger kids, mostly little stuff they had made, found, or bought with Mom's help.Two year old Timothy slipped away from the table with one of the gift bags and returned amoment later and put it on my lap. Curious, I pulled out the tissue paper."Hoppy bifday!" he yelled in excitement. Out of the torn tissue paper fell a miniatureflashlight, which I had happened to give him for his last birthday."Thanks buddy!" I said, pulling the wriggling kid into a hug. Matthew and Joel began to laughas soon as they saw what it was he had so gleefully given me. I glared at them and they quicklystopped."Well," Dad said, rising from the table, "I hate to bust the party but we've got a lot of cows tomove today. Let’s get the horses saddled and get a move on."Gramps and I also rose, and I slipped the little light into my pocket. Joel sprang to his feethopefully."Can I go too Dad?""Me too?" joined Matthew"Me doo!" shouted Tim, jumping up and down."No, you’re all still to little," I said with a grin."Hold on sonny, don't get too big for yer britches just 'cause it's yer birthday, yer father's rightthere and he can answer for himself."I looked down at my feet sheepishly. It hurt my pride to be corrected in front of the youngones but I knew that I did do a lot of things that Gramps would call 'too big for my britches' andevery once in awhile he, but mostly Dad, had to bring me down to fit them with a hickory switchin the wood shed."Mmm, I think you can come with us to the stable to saddle the horses, but then you needto scamper on back and feed the chickens and help your mama in the garden," I heard Dad say."Woo hoo!" the boys yelled in unison and ran to our room. I followed."Boys! Don't be so loud in the house!" Grandma called after them. "Or I'll have to give you alicking." Both boys were instantly silent."Gamma give you lickin'!" Tim shouted in glee.“She spanks a lot harder than Mom does,” Joel whispered to Matthew.I chuckled and began to rig out in my standard day's working gear. I already had on mycowboy boots. Why they don't call them rancher's boots I can't say, as that is pretty much whouses them today, but I guess a rancher is a cowboy, only not on the open prairie. I tied my brightred hanky around my neck and put my cowboy hat on my head. These weren’t for looks at all.The hats wide brim keeps the sun off in clear weather, and the rain off in wet. The hankygenerally goes over the mouth to keep out the dust the cows churn up.Our ranch is one of the biggest ones that’s left in these parts. The land has been in thefamily for generations and each generation buys new property to add to it. So when I say big, Imean big, like fifty thousand acres. If you want an idea of the size of that, count to fiftythousand, then go look at one acre of land. In all the years that he has lived here, I don't thinkthat Gramps has been to all the land on our ranch. Yet it doesn't even make it onto the list of thetop ten largest ranches. I think the largest one here in Texas has nearly a million acres on it. Ifyou want an idea of how big that is, think of our ranch and multiply that by twenty. Yea, that’shuge. On our property there are several other herds of cattle, other than the one we work with.They are run by our cousins' families or people Gramps hired to live here and work for him.As we walked along, Gramps leaned over to me and whispered, "Your grandma and Ihaven't forgotten about your birthday. Your gift is in the stable." He winked and put a finger tohis lips. What could it be? I thought.When we got to the stable I was nearly dying of curiosity. I went to Arizona and lifted downher saddle from its place."Hold on a minute," Gramps called to me as I was lifting the heavy leather saddle onto herback. At that moment three ranch hands came in. One was my Uncle Bill, a sworn bachelor."Morning, Dad, morning Jason." Uncle Bill said in his booming voice. He was a big, burlyman, with a great red mustache that shook when he laughed. He was a sort of odd ball in hisfamily, since none of the rest had red hair, a build as large as his, or a laugh like his. It was alaugh that was fit to make thunder jealous yet it made you feel good to hear it. As usual hepretended not to notice me. He took two large strides to the younger boys and scooped them upin a bearhug, a standard procedure when they saw each other. The boys slipped loose from theembrace and he let loose a terrific roar that sent them scampering for cover. He then broke intohis booming laugh, holding his sides and shaking all over. If a new horse had been in the stableit probably would have spooked, but the ones we had here were used to Bill and his ways."Hi, Uncle Bill," I said stepping from Arizona's stall and offering my hand. I remembered thatwas a bad idea a moment to late, as he had already crushed all the bones in my hand with hisgrip, or at least it felt that way."My most hardy congratulations on surviving the city till your fifteenth year!" he was sayingas I tried to salvage a few scraps of my hand. "Yes, I know you have been here for three weeksbut that doesn't count, just kinda a breaking in time."Jake, one of the ranch hands, leaned over from the other stall and stage whispered, "Thatmeans Happy Birthday." I winked and grinned.Uncle Bill released my hand and went to saddle his own horse, which had a build thatseemed to match its owner's.Gramps went over to Dick, who was generally called the Lone Ranger, and whisperedsomething in his ear. The man nodded and left the stable. A moment later he returned carrying abrand new saddle with a lasso hanging from it. He nodded to Jake and the two walked over tome.Jake cleared his throat, "We bachelors thought that as you were getting your own horsetoday she might need her own saddle.""My own horse?" I repeated incredulous, half turning round to look at Gramps. He motionedtowards Arizona."You've been taking good care of her. She's yours now."I stood in stunned silence, just looking at the beautiful horse that was now mine."Are you just gonna stand there all day with your mouth wide enough to catch flies, or areyou gonna saddle her up and come along?" Uncle Bill asked with a wink at Grandpa."Oh...no, no, I'll saddle her!" I stammered. Dick handed me the new saddle with a grin and Ihurried to put it on her back."Your mine now, ol' girl." I whispered in her ear and she snorted in response. I tightened thecinch of the light saddle around her belly and adjusted the stirrups."Enough dawdling! We need to get going!" Gramps called as he led his horse, Kansas, out ofthe stables. We all followed and headed down the path and over a hill or two to the cow pens.It took half an hour to get the herd ready to move out, but we finally did it and soon weredriving them along to the grazing area Gramps had chosen for the day.*********A month after my birthday Uncle Bill and I sat next to our horses on a little shrub covered hillabove the cows, who were grazing in the gully. Bill had a newspaper he had picked up thatmorning and was reading it while I was stripping the bark off a promising walking stick. That newbowie knife seemed like a part of me now. I was constantly using it, but I also kept it polishedand sharp so it would stay nice. The air was a bit chill, but not overly so, and a gentle breezeblew over the hillside, rippling the long grass. It was a good life.Bill lowered the newspaper and turned to me, "Did ya hear about the mountain lion in these parts? They offered a real good reward for whoever can kill 'im, as he has been killin' more thanhis share of cows around here.""Is that so? How much?" I asked."Five grand," Uncle Bill said matter of factly."Five thousand dollars! That's a whole heap of money!" I exclaimed, incredulous."Yep, but that's not the only thing. This here article says that it has been attacking cows inour area. Could hit our ranch."I kicked at a fresh gopher mound and imagined what I could do with five thousand dollars.***********"Sam, come here," Dad called from the other end of the cow pen. I tied Arizona's reigns tothe fencepost and hurried over."What's the trouble, Dad?" I asked, seeing the concern on his face. He brushed his straightbrown hair off his forehead and gestured with his thumb to a cow that was laying on its side.Five or six others lay scattered about. I leaned over it and saw to my horror that it had beenkilled and partially eaten by some wild animal. The flies were finishing it off."What do you think killed them?" I asked, trying to hide my disgust."Probably that mountain lion that has a price on its head. He's been known to steal fullgrown cows from right out of the pens. Nothing else could have done in this bull.""What do we do?" I said, scratching my head."Well," Dad said after a moment's thought. "First we bury these things, no use attractingwolves or coyotes as well. Then after the regular day's cattle grazing we have the ranch handsstay to help us ambush the critter. You ride back along to the house and tell your ma to haveextra supper.""Yes sir!" I said, and sprinted back to Arizona. Tonight I might actually see, if not shoot, theinfamous mountain lion! I thought as my pony swept along towards the house.!!!!! **********

"Mrs. Wile, I have to say that you do make the best mashed potatoes and cornbread I haveever tasted!" declared Dick as he scraped the last bit off his plate."Why thank you," Mom replied with a smile. "But I can't take full credit for it. Jason's Motherand Rachel did much of the work.""Well, I will still say it is the best!" Dick said with a wink at Grandma."I was hooked on the steak! That was the best grill job of the century, Dad!" Uncle Bill saidto Grandpa as he wiped his mustache with a napkin. He needed it too, with A1 sauce all throughit. I winked at Rachel and nodded towards him. She giggled."Gentlemen, much as I would like to sit here and chat, we are here to try and get that oldmountain lion that has been the plague of this area. Not to mention a few thousand dollars if weare successful," Dad announced with a meaningful look at Jake, who we all knew could use themoney in a moment. He grinned."I assume you all have your guns?" Dad asked and looked around the table. All nine mennodded. My heart sank. How could I help with this ambush if I had no gun? My old doublebarreled shotgun didn't count, of course. It was a nice shotgun, I had gotten it last Christmasand had gone quail and rabbit hunting with Dad and Gramps, but tiny lead pellets don't kill hugemountain lions."We'll be taking Sam with us, so that makes twelve of us," I heard Dad saying. I looked upquickly."But I don't have a..." I began to object."I picked up some slugs for your shotgun. Those will do if the big cat gets close, but I'll still put you in the position of least danger." Dad said. "Anyway, we will post four men at each of thethree cattle pens. I have the other ranch houses on alert tonight so if the mountain lion is in thisarea then we'll get him tonight.""If you hear a shot, rally to that point," Gramps added. "Several others have tried to get thisguy and he always makes his escape, so we'll have to outsmart him."Uncle Bill stood up, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"Each of us was equipped with a firearm, most had rifles, two had a couple revolvers, and Iwas the only one with a shotgun. Everyone also had a large flashlight. As we were leaving thehouse Timothy toddled up to me in his race-car pajamas. His blond hair was spiking up inrandom places and he had the little flashlight in his one hand and a popgun in the other."I go too, Sam?" he asked me hopefully."Not tonight, Tim," I kneeled down to be at his eye level. "We're gonna go get a big bad lionwith our guns, boom boom!""Boom! Boom!" He said with a giggle. Then he dropped his flashlight and ran back to hisroom, working his popgun furiously. "Boom! Boom!" I heard him yelling in his little voice.Uncle Bill chuckled, then turned to me, "Let's go, the others are already outside."I nodded, picked the little flashlight up off the floor and dropped it in my pocket. "Let's Go!"All of us made our way to the barn to saddle our horses.As I tightened the girth on Arizona's saddle I asked Gramps, "Why do we have to bring ourhorses, couldn't we just walk to the pens?""We could," Gramps replied, "but then if we did spot that pesky big cat we couldn't chasehim very well on foot. This way if we do spot him and he tries to escape, we just follow till we gethim.""Oh, OK," I said as I swung into the saddle. This was going to be an exciting night! We setoff on horseback and within five minutes had arrived at the three pens, which were about fiftyyards apart. All of us dismounted and assembled around Dad, who addressed us in hushedtones."Alright, I want one of us at the corner of each pen. Dick, Sam, Thomas, I want you threewith me on the far left pen. Jake, Marty, and Alex, you go with Gramps at the center. Bill, I wantyou to take John, Josh, and Adam on the right. Everyone, take your horses with you and tiethem together outside the pens. If we do have a visit, we want to be able to follow rapidly if thelion tries to escape. Be careful with your shots so we don't hit the cows, horses, or each other.Take your positions."We all crept off through the dark and took up our watch. I tied the four horses to a saplingabout fifty feet away from the fence, being careful not to tie them too tight, so we could make afast attack. I then crouched by the corner post. Quietly opening the breach of my gun, I inserteda pair of slugs, and quietly clicked the barrel closed. Then I waited. And waited. The cold nightair bit through my thin jacket and chilled me to the bone. Still I sat without movement, my eyesscanning the surrounding darkness. I wasn't sure, but I thought, by the look of the sky, that anhour had passed.I suddenly realized that my gun might be on safety just at the moment I needed it. I quicklyflipped it, but was just as unsure. I couldn't turn on my flashlight, as it's brightness might scareoff the mountain lion. I then remembered the little flashlight Tim had dropped. I shifted slightlyand pulled it out of my pocket. Never though this little thing would come in handy. The cheaplight was so dim that it wouldn't have scared a fly. I flipped it on and checked the safety. It wason red, ready to fire. I switched it back to safe, but now that I knew what way was what I couldeasily get it ready.I was about to turn off the light when something caught my eye. It seemed as if two dim,yellow flashlights were shining back at me. I suddenly realized what they were. Eyes, cat eyes, big cat eyes! They were moving quickly towards the horses, instead of at the cows. Theyducked low for a moment, and I knew it was about to spring. For an instant I was paralyzed withfear, I couldn't move! Then I realized with a start that that big ol' cat was about to get my horse,most likely.I flipped my bright flashlight on and raised and fired both barrels of my shotgun at once. Ihad forgotten how hard two twelve gauge slugs going off at the same moment kicked. The blastknocked me flat on my back and nearly split my eardrums. I was back on my feet in a moment,however, and saw to my horror that the cougar had Arizona by the flank. I figured I must havemissed and the cat had sprung upon the horses. Mountain lions can jump nearly twenty feet.The other horses broke free from their loose halters and scattered.Without thinking, I dropped the empty shotgun and drew my bowie knife, already at a deadrun towards the fray. Arizona was kicking wildly and the cat was struggling to bring her down sohe could finish the kill. This is a bold one! I remember vaguely thinking as I covered the distanceat the top of my speed. I reached the spot just as Arizona went down under the big cat.Without a moment's hesitation I jumped on the beast, thrusting my knife down into it's side.If I had had time to think I probably would not have taken such bold and foolish action, but myadrenaline was up and I wasn't thinking. The lion screamed and rolled over to attack me,swiping a huge claw across my face. I though my head split open as warm blood ran down intomy eyes. I swung blindly upward with my knife, which I had managed to hang on to. The tipstruck true again and the cat screamed again. The huge claws lacerated my flesh andexcruciating pain shot through my whole body.Suddenly I heard a loud whinny and a thud and the lion roared in furry and agony. I couldsee nothing with the blood running down in my eyes and I shielded my head with my arms.Then I heard a shriek of pain from Arizona. I wiped the blood from my eyes in time to see thelion and the faithful horse coming down virtually on top of me. The teeth of the lion in the horse'sneck. I screamed in pain as the two bodies landed in a struggling mass on top of me. I thoughtboth me and my horse were going to be dead.BANG! click, BANG! click, BANG! The lion stopped thrashing on top of me. The nextmoment strong hands dragged me out from under the carcass of the lion and Dad pulled meinto his arms. His smoking revolver lay on the ground next to the fight."Thank God you’re alive!" He exclaimed over and over. Thomas and Dick were working toremove the lion's jaws from Arizona's neck. The poor horse neighed in agony."No wonder this one is so bold!" Thomas said pointing to the lion. "I'm sure that it's gotrabies. See how it was foaming at the mouth!" The others came hurrying up at this moment.Dad called to Bill, "Bill! Get me your horse! I have to bring Sam back to the house, we needto get him to the closest hospital immediately, that lion had rabies!""What about Arizona!?" I asked in a frightened voice."I'm sorry," Dad said, looking back at the animal. "There's no hope for her. Best thing to do isto put her out of her misery." Dad nodded to Dick, and Dick nodded gravely in return. Bill ran upand handed Dad the reigns of his horse. Excruciating pain shot through my left arm as Dadmounted and pulled me up behind him. We took off at a gallop towards the house. Tears stungmy eyes as I thought of the fate of my faithful horse.BANG!NO! I dropped my head on Dad's shoulder and sobbed until I thought my heart would break.!!!!! ***********Three days later I lay on a bed in a hospital room, looking blankly at the opposite wall. Whenwe had got to the house Dad had called 911 and they sent a helicopter right away. They hadtreated me partially on the trip to the Dallas hospital, where they had done a whole bunch ofstuff to me. At least that's what Dad said, as I had been put to sleep with some medicine. Once at the hospital, they had bandaged up all my gashes and set some broken bones too. They hadkept me at the hospital just to be safe, and I would be able to go home to finish recovery at theend of the week. I wouldn't be out and about for a while, however, until the bones set andhealed. I had hardly slept at all, and all I could think about was the events of Wednesday night. Ifelt angry and sad over the death of Arizona, and I just couldn't rest comfortably.The door opened and Gramps stuck his head in, "How’s the hero feeling?""Gramps! how did you get here?!" I exclaimed in delighted surprise."Well, I rode on a cool new invention called a car, ever heard of it?" He replied sarcastically.He then walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed."I got something for you," he said, pulling an envelope from his pocket. I opened it andgasped. Inside was a check for five thousand dollars!"That was the prize for killing that big cat. All of us lion hunters voted that you should get it,for your services," he explained.My smile vanished and tears filled my eyes, "I would rather that Arizona had lived.”"I know, I know. She was a good horse," he said laying a hand on my shoulder. After amoment of silence he spoke again, "But I will say, I see many things to be grateful for, even inthe death of your horse. You can praise God that he spared your life, using Arizona to do it. Ifshe hadn't attacked that old cat when you went down, you would have died You can be thankfulthat you broke its left leg with your slugs, otherwise it would have been able to tear you apart inan instant...""I actually hit it?" I asked, "I thought I missed.""You did hit it, and I think it saved your life. Another thing you can be grateful for is that yourDad was right there to finish that cat as you were about to be crushed. Your knife would havekilled it eventually. But anyway, you can be grateful that no one else was hurt. There are somany things to be grateful for. You see, what I have learned is that if something bad happens,instead of being depressed or angry at God for the bad thing, be grateful to Him for the good."He laid his hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes."Thanks, Grandpa, I see what you mean. I'll try to do that.""Good boy. That doesn't mean there isn't proper grieving time. But if you keep your eyes onJesus, things here won't be so bad, and you won't be crushed by them. You just think aboutthat," Gramps said, getting up and moving towards the door. "Doc said not to talk to you toolong, but I'll be back later.""Alright, see you later Grandpa," I said laying back down. The door closed and I shut myeyes, but not to sleep, yet."LORD," I prayed, "help me to focus on you and be grateful even when things are hard, likenow. I pray that I would not be angry at you for the bad things that happened, but to be thankfulto you for the good. In Jesus name, Amen."And with that I drifted off into a sound sleep.​The End.

"Lem? Lem! Where in the lubberly world are ye?" a voice broke through the darkness of thehold to where Lem Harvey sat.

"I'm here, Jack. Whadda you want?" Lem called back from the gloom. The sailor droppeddown through the hatch and squinted in the darkness.

"There you be, we've been a-lookin' all over for ye," exclaimed Jack. "How long 'ave ye beendown 'ere? Never mind, you more likely than not know that we won againt' them lubberly Britsand now 'ave got 'em all tied up and are a-bringin' them down 'ere."

"I know, I was there. Just came down 'ere for a lit'l peace an' quiet after all that noise ofbattle," Lem replied.

"I know, I does that sometime too," Jack said.​ The hold was silent for a moment then Jack broke out anew, "Boy, weren't that Dave Mitcheland ye amazin'? Why, ifin it wen't for you two capturin' that there British cap'n the fight could still be a-goin'. I was in the riggin' and saw when that nasty Brit had ye and was a-goin' to shoot ye through the gut when out of nowhere there's that Davey come flyin' and tackles the man..."

"I don't want to hear about David Mitchel right now!" Lem snapped. "He may be some sort o'hero to the rest of the world, but to me he's just another hypocritical Christian who act so goodand holy so they can gain favor with folks who are stupid enough to fall for them!"

"I know whatcha mean," Jack said with sympathy. "You've been so faithful to this 'ere ship forso many years, and then the cap'n promotes Davey to first mate now that Hersley's dead..."

"Hersley's dead? David's first mate? How do ya know?" Lem demanded.

"Hersley was shot while driving back them lubberly Brits with that old ax of his. I knowbecause I saw the whole thing from the rigging, and the cap'n just announced that when youand David rejoin the ship af'er takin' the Shark back to Salem then Davey will be our new firstmate."

************ Lem stood at the wheel of the Shark, with Jack standing beside him, untangling a mass ofknotted rope. Thirty-eight other men worked busily about the deck, replacing broken spars and rigging, patching holes made by cannon shot, re-securing the guns about the deck, andotherwise removing all traces of the fight as far as possible. Several of the sails were hoistedwhere the masts had not been too badly damaged to secure them and the Shark was makingdecent time.

"How many men did the Eagle loose anyway?" Lem asked Jack without turning his headfrom the compass.

"She came out pretty well considerin' the way the ship looks, all full of shot holes. I heardCap'n say that we lost thirty-two men killed, five of whom were officers, includin' Tom Prince and Hersley. The total wounded men amounted to twenty-nine, including the first Lieutenant Jeff Tommas. Then they send out the forty of us in this ‘ere ship. We had three hundred one menand boys to start with the cap'n said, so that would leave them with... two hundred ninety-nineand a half men." Jack said triumphantly, impressed with his own sophisticated math.

"Oh yes you can!" Jack shot back, his pride quite hurt at his math being disproved. "Yousimply cut one man in half and throw the other half overboard!"

"Just go help with the repair you thumb fingered fool!" Lem ordered savagely. "We havenowhere near enough men to fight with if we were attacked by a Britisher and so the sooner weget to Salem the better."

"All right," Jack spat. "I'll just go help first mate-to-be Davey Mitchel get the ship repaired."

Lem glared after the man, smarting under the intentional insult that had gone straight home.He knew in his heart that David wasn't out to override him. If he was Lem would be dead ordying on the poop deck with a British bullet in his gut. But he was angry all the same. Lemstruggled between what he knew factually was true and what he felt, and both sides seemeddetermined not to quit. The thoughts of being so near to death on the poop deck and thethought of judgement also returned to his mind. As he thought, he happened to glance at thebinnacle and his eyes grew wide, for the fluid in the glass had dropped dramatically. One glanceat the sky aft of the ship told him the weather gauge was not wrong.

"All hands on deck! Take down the sail! Batten down the hatches! We're in for a storm!" Heyelled at the top of his voice. Instantly all the sailors were thrown into a flurry of action. Menscurried into the rigging to take in the sail while the others hurried to clear the deck of all thetools and material that they had just been using in the repair work, but it was too late.The galeburst down upon the little vessel. Rain came down in sheets and waves beat against the Shark.

"Let down the anchor! We will have to ride ‘er out!" Lem yelled, and the sailors ran to obey.Lem did his best to keep the head of the ship facing the waves. David and four others were inthe rigging fighting furiously to bring down the top sail on the fore mast while three moreattempted to lower the main sail. Once or twice they were almost blown out of the rigging butthey finally they secured the sails and clambered back down to the deck. Everyone was soakedto the skin and they went about their respective duties as best as they could along the slipperydeck.

Suddenly a tremendous wave crashed against the starboard side of the brig. The ship tippedup and the deck became a gigantic slide. One of the thirty-two pounder guns broke free of itssecuring ropes. It skidded along the deck towards the ship’s wheel where Lem stood, steeringthe ship. David Mitchel saw it coming and leapt on Lem and the two slid across the slanteddeck. He was just in time, for the big gun slammed against the wheel and smashed it tosmithereens. The cannon continued its plunge, crashing through the railing of the deck anddisappearing overboard. Lem and David clung to the same railing a few feet away. With the railbeing weakened it began to crack under their weight. The moment before the rail would havebroken completely off and thrown both men into the sea, the deck flattened out and began toslant the other way, saving their lives.

Lem and David crawled across the deck to the mizzen mast and clung to it for dear life. Withthe ship’s wheel gone the vessel was completely out of control.

"Get below! Get below! We don't want to loose any men!" Lem shouted at the top of hisvoice. So saying, he and David crawled across the main deck and through the hatch behind thecapstan. Two more men followed. A moment later another three burst in with five more rightbehind them. In five minutes the whole crew had made it safely below deck. The forty menstumbled along through the belly of the ship, clutching at every beam and ceiling support forbalance as the ship rolled back and forth. They eventually made it to the made hold and crawledinside. A light was soon struck and the men huddled together among the kegs and crates ofsupplies to wait out the storm.

The roll of the ship was not as bad deep in the ship’s belly as it was on the decks. The firstthing David did when he had finally got secure was to pray out loud.

"O God on high, we know that you control the sea and the wind. We pray that You would helpus to make it through this storm unharmed. But not our will, but Thine be done, Amen!"

For a moment there was no sound except the crashing of the storm outside. Then one ofthe men spoke, "Your faith seems like it's real to ya, and you always seem to be grateful to yer God no mat'er what's happenin'. A lot of folks who call 'emselves Christians seem to think thatGod is suppose' to make there lives 'ere better."

"Yea," piped in Jack. "You stuck to yer God through thick an' thin, even though you've hadsome rough times around 'ere," he added, with a meaningful look at Lem.

David caught the look and chose his words carefully, "You're right, many people do thinkGod is supposed to make their lives better and take away all pain and suffering. Some peopleeven reject God because they think he should have prevented a time of pain, or the death of aloved one. But this is not the proper perspective. God is not to make our life better, he is ourCreator, and we belong to Him and are to give Him all honor and glory.

"When God created the world He made two people who He charged with keeping thegarden of Eden. He had only one law for them, and that was for them not to eat of the fruit of aparticular tree. Satan, who is God's arch enemy, tricked them into sinning against God. With thisdisobedience sin entered the world. God put a curse on them and sent them out of the perfectparadise they had formerly enjoyed, but he also promised a Savior who would cleanse menfrom their sins."

"So you're sayin' that there wasn't any sin or pain or sufferin' before that man sinned, and'cause he sinned we are all punished?" Lem asked.

"Yes and no," David answered. "Suffering and death came through Adam, which is why badthings happen in this world. But all men have sinned on their own as well. I have, you have, weall have. All except one Man, Jesus Christ. Jesus was God's Son, the promised redeemer whowould save mankind from his sins by taking them on Himself. He came to earth to be born as ababy, live a perfect life, preach, and heal the sick and demon possessed. Eventually, when hewas thirty-three, the religious rulers became jealous and had Him put to death by the Romangovernment."

"You mean He died?" one man asked. "How could He save us all 'ere sinners if he died?"Their was a murmur of ascent among the attentive sailors.

"You see, that was all God's plan," David replied. "The just wages of sin is death. Throughoutthe time before Christ, God required animal sacrifice to cover sin, but this had to be donerepeatedly, every time someone sinned. Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God, who lived aperfect life and died for our sins."

"They did, but it was all under God's control. Jesus Himself said that He gave His life willingly, and if He, being God in the flesh, had not consented, they would not have been able todo anything to HIm. It shows that even in the worst circumstances God is in control. Jesus’blood was shed so that ours would not have to be. He paid for my sin, and for the sin of all whowill believe on Him."

"So all you Christians believe that a dead God-Man paid for your sin?" Jack asked. "Thatdon't make much sense."

David smiled, "Your right Jack, it wouldn't make much sense if it ended there. The thing isthat three days later Jesus Christ rose from the dead, was seen by many, and ascended back toHis Father, where He makes intercession for those who believe! It is God's free gift of grace toany who accept Him! But it isn’t just a one time thing, it is a whole way of life.”

A moment of quiet followed as the storm continued to beat against the ship. Finally Jackspoke up, "You mean that a sinful, blood stained, cussin' drinkin' sailor could be saved by God?"

"That is what I mean, Jack. I encourage you to give your life over to Him and repent of yoursins. "

Jack nodded solemnly and said in a low voice, "I might just do that." He then glanced atLem, who was considered the leader. Lem avoided his eyes and shifted in his seat. David didn'tmiss the look.

"What's on your mind, Lem?" David asked softly.

Lem took a deep breath, then puffed it out. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed itagain. He shifted on the coil of rope he was sitting on then began slowly, somewhat sadly.

"The whole idea makes sense to me and all," he said with his eyes fixed on his boots."You've almost convinced me to give up me hate and bitterness and follow God. I just still can'tunderstand why...why..." at this his lips quavered and his voice broke. He cleared his throat andcontinued, "Why a God who is all merciful and gracious as ye say would let...let a little elevenyear old boy like I was be orphaned and abandoned, being left all alone, after praying sohard...that God would save his parents' lives..." At this he broke down completely and the roughman's body shook with silent sobs.

David laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and was silent for a moment. Finally he said ina low voice, "Perhaps for the same reason He allowed it to happen to me: to draw us toHimself."

"To you?" Lem asked, pulling himself together and wiping his eyes.

"Yes, to me. You said your parents died in the epidemic of 1786. Mine did too.There was afamily who would take me in, but they weren't my parents. So I ran away from them and lived how I could for three months. Then a kindly Reverend Mitchel took me in and mentored me,taught me about God and what Jesus had done for us. I gave my life to Christ and wasdetermined to share him with others. You know the rest, or the important things."

"I...I had no idea, David," Lem said. "Maybe that is why it happened to us both, to bring usboth to God."

************** The morning of June 28th 1813 was grey and foggy over Salem, Massachusetts. The fewmen working around the docks looked up in surprise to see the dark outline of a ship cominginto port. It was obviously damaged by a recent storm and two men on the deck were workingtogether to work the makeshift wheel that steered the ship. The attitude on board was cheerful,however, and some of the men could be heard singing.

The vessel soon pulled up along side the dock, the anchor was dropped and the mooringropes secured. A gang plank was quickly lowered and the crew quickly poured onto the wharf,laughing and singing. Most of the men made straight away for the Whaler’s Tavern, which wasclose by. Three of the group headed side by side in the direction of the residential area of town.The ship, of course, is the Shark, and the three men are David Mitchel, Lem Harvey, and JackBryan.

The three walked and talked together until they came to the church where they were to part.Lem turned to David and grasped his hand warmly.

“David,” he said, “I can’t thank ye enough for showin’ me and Jack ‘ere the way of salvationin Christ!”

“Not to mention the fact that he had to save yer life long enough fer ye to listen!” Jack saidwith a grin.

“Remember, it isn’t me, it’s God who did the work in you,” David said. “I’ll come back for youtwo after I see Reverend Mitchel in Boston. Will probably be a day or two.”

“I’ll see to it that the boys have the Shark fixed up by then,” replied Lem.

“Speakin’ of them, remember to pray that God ‘ill do a work in their hearts like He did ‘nours,” interjected Jack.

“Right! I’ll most likely be back before the Eagle arrives. God speed!” David said as he turnedto go.

“See ya!” Jack replied with a wave of his hand. He and Lem watched him go and thenturned and entered Lem’s small house.

“Ya know,” Jack said thoughtfully to Lem as they moved through his long neglected, dustfilled kitchen, “Ya know, with all of us three bein’ Christians we are sorta like brothers.”

“I guess so,” Lem said as he rummaged through a pile of dishes that had been sitting formonths.

“And you know Davey said we are soldiers for God in a battle with evil when he wasa-readin’ the Bible to us this mornin’?”

“Mm hmm,” answered Lem as he found the pan he had been looking for.

“Well, I don’t see why we can’t be sailors for God instead, and then we’re all shipmates in awhole new way!” Jack ended triumphantly.

Last time: The American ship, Eagle, is in an unequal fight between itself and two British ships. The valiant crew managed to sink one ship, but are now engaged in a hand to hand conflict with the fresh crew of the one ship and the survivors of the other. ************* Lem drew his sword and pistol simultaneously from his belt and rushed at the attackers, with David right behind him. The rest of the crew swept up their weapons and followed. Already there were ten or so enemy sailors across the small gap between the two ships. Several more had thrown ropes with hooks on the ends to bring the two ships closer together.

Lem threw himself instantly into a fight with two of the leading sailors and bested them quickly. He thrust a third one through and sprang to the railing to fend off the other attackers that were coming across. The Shark's first mate, who was much loved by his men, stepped to the railing to lead the charge across onto the American ship. Lem pointed his pistol at the man's chest and pulled the trigger. The man staggered forward and fell down through the gap between the two ships and into the sea. A roar of rage went up from the British, and they surged over the gap.

The decks of the two vessels were thrown into utter confusion. Boarding pikes were thrust, cutlasses slashed, pistols and muskets flashed and roared, and the sailors sent up a continuous shout.

David took up a position behind Lem and attacked the British with tremendous force, but he kept his double barreled pistols in his belt and fought only with his sword. He was saving the pistols in case Lem was in danger of being killed. He knew that if Lem was killed now his soul would be lost, so he stayed near him, guarding his back.

Lem fought like an enraged tiger and British seamen flew from him, left and right. He happened to glance towards the poop deck and saw a group of the enemy had boarded and taken control there. With a roar Lem made all speed towards the stern, cutting down enemies and knocking aside friends in his haste, with David right on his heels. He met the second mate of the Sea Devil on the steps between the quarter and poop decks and engaged him with his sword. The two mates of opposing ships fought each other with all their strength but Lem was evidently the master. Within thirty seconds the British sailor lay prostrate on the deck.

Lem leapt up the ladder and cut down a second man with one blow. Two more British attacked at once, one with a sword and the other with a bayoneted musket. Lem whipped out his pistol and evened out the fight by shooting the one with the sword. He then attacked the musketeer. Lem moved so fast that the man could not level his musket in time. With one quick thrust the man was down. Wrenching the musket from the dead man Lem spun and fired into another man who was moving up to attack from behind. Dropping the gun he turned around only to find the muzzle of a pistol was staring him right in the face with the captain of the Snake behind it.

"Ye killed me first matey, and now I'm a-gonna kill you!" he said as he cocked the pistol. Lem glanced at the sword and pistol he had left on the deck when he had taken the rifle.

"Don't even look at yer weapons," sneered the British captain, "I have ye now!"

Lem looked around desperately for help. All the fighting had worked its way down to the quarter deck and the only others on the poop deck were dead and wounded.

"Why don't you just shoot me now?" Lem demanded as he continued to back away.

"The taste of revenge be sweet in me mouth," said the captain with a smug grin. At the same moment he reached out and grabbed Lem by the collar and slammed him into the railing. He then moved the barrel of the pistol from his head, where it would have killed him instantly, to his stomach, which would result in a slow, painful death.

Lem clenched his eyes shut; drops of sweat formed on his forehead. Lem hated to admit it, but he was afraid of death. The words of David Mitchel came back to his mind about hell and judgement, and he was afraid. His hands began to tremble and his knees nearly failed him.

Suddenly a man came hurtling at the British captain and knocked him to the ground. The pistol discharged in the clash and the ball flew off into the air. Lem instantly recognized his rescuer was David. David had been caught up in his own fight and had only now realized Lem’s peril.

The British captain and David rolled over and over, fighting each other furiously, trying to get the upper hand. Suddenly Lem saw that the captain was on top, had managed to draw a knife and was attempting to finish David off. Frozen with shock he watched as the blade came down twice, only to be blocked by David's forearm. Bloody gashes rent his sleeves and slashed his flesh.

The blood broke Lem from his shock and he jumped to his feet and retrieved his sword. He seized the Brit by the hair and dragged him off of David. The British captain whirled around and plunged the knife blade towards Lem's chest. A pistol blasted and the captain dropped his knife and clutched his right hand, screaming in pain. Blood ran from between his fingers and down his arm. Lem seized the opportunity and raised his sword to kill the Brit. A second shot exploded and the ball severed Lem's sword in half. David, who was still laying on his back a few feet from the combatants, dropped his empty double barreled pistol and drew his other one. He rose to his feet unsteadily and faced Lem.

"Don't kill him," he said sternly. "If we don't have to it is needless to shed his blood."

"Is that the reason you shot my perfectly good sword?" Lem demanded.

"Yes," David answered plainly. "And why I shot his hand instead of his chest. You may have his sword when we are done. Now release him." Lem shrugged and let go of the man's hair. The British captain fell to the deck, clutching his wounded hand.

"Get up," David ordered as he wrapped his wounded arm in a makeshift bandage. The man spat and made no movement. David pressed his lips together and glared at the man.

"You're a brave one, aren't you? Lem, help him up."

"Aye aye, sir, with pleasure," Lem said gruffly. He grasped the Brit's collar and jerked him to his feet. He then threw aside his own broken blade and jerked the captain's sword and scabbard from his belt.

"Be careful with that, Lem, he'll need it when he surrenders to captain Donte," David said. "Now, bring him along."

"But what about yer arm?" Lem asked. "It looks mighty bad."

"Only a flesh wound," David answered. "Nothing vital, I can still use it. I’ll just cut a strip from my overcoat as an extra bandage." ​ The two men then hurried along the ship towards the center of the fight, dragging their prisoner along behind.

The British and Americans were locked in a fierce hand to hand struggle and the blades and bullets flew fast and thick. David had reloaded his first double barreled pistol and now held both at the ready. Lem had the British captain's cutlass in one hand, the man's collar in the other, a loaded pistol in his belt, and a knife between his teeth.

The second mate of the Shark saw his captain in the hands of the enemy and leapt to the rescue. He sprang from behind the mainmast and brought a two handed blow down towards Lem's head with his cutlass. Lem deflected the blow while still maintaining his hold on the captain's collar. He swung his sword down from the block and into the second mate's side. The man screamed in rage and pain and brought a thrust towards Lem's chest. At the last instant Lem deflected the blow and brought his knee into the man's stomach. This maneuver knocked the breath clear out of the assailant and sent him sprawling. Lem leaned over him without relaxing his grip on the British captain and found that he had knocked the man out and broken several ribs with his blow.

David was now locked in a struggle of his own. As Lem had engaged the British second mate two British midshipmen rushed on David. David fired one barrel of the pistol in his right hand into the first attacker and one from the gun in his left at the second. The first man dropped to the deck, dead, but the second was uninjured. David discharged a second shot at the man and missed again. Not wanting to have an empty gun if Lem needed help he did not fire his last shot at the man. He tossed the empty pistol in the air and caught it by the barrel.

He blocked a blow from his assailant's musket butt with the empty pistol and jabbed the barrel of the other into the sailors middle. At that moment he was struck in the shoulder from behind by a third attacker whom he had not noticed. He quickly discharged the last loaded barrel into the assailant in front and spun to meet the new man.

The Brit cursed at having failed to knock out David's brains with his gun and whipped out a long knife. David threw both empty guns at the brute but the man was unfazed. With an evil laugh he pulled back the knife for a thrust, but before he could execute the deadly plunge David sprang upon him and landed a hard fist in his face. The man staggered and nearly fell but continued to laugh. That is when David realized the man was drunk. David danced and dodged the powerful yet clumsy knife and fist blows until he came to where his pistols lay. He snatched them up and rushed on the man. He blocked the knife with one gun and smashed the butt of the other into the man's head. The laugh stopped and the huge Irishman fell to the deck, unconscious.

At that moment Lem came up, with the British captain still firmly under his control. He had taken a moment after his fight to tie the man's arms securely and search him for any weapons. David motioned for him to follow and the two continued towards the main mast. The fight was quickly digressing into a slaughter on both sides. Many of the British were more experienced but the Americans had the advantage in numbers. David knew he had to stop the killing as soon as possible. He called to Lem and a few other American sailors. They formed around the mainmast and quickly cleared an open space free of attackers. Lem pushed the bound British captain towards David.

David reloaded his pistols and mounted a sea chest. He then shouted above all the clamor of battle, "Listen to me! This bloodshed has lasted long enough! Cease your resistance or I will shoot your captain on the spot!" He emphasized his words by cocking both barrels of his pistol and placing them against the man's head.

"They 'ave us boys, we got t' surrender!" the British captain ordered. The men were fiercely loyal to their officers, but there was a hesitation for a moment after the order. The silence on the two ships stood in stark contrast to the uproar of a few minutes ago. Then one man threw down his musket, then another his sword, then a third his pair of pistols. All up and down the decks of the ships the clatter of dropped weapons was heard.

Captain Donte smiled, his men had won. He did not once consider that a religious "softy" had been the one to secure the victory, but Lem did, and it made him think. He also recognized that this man he had tried to kill had saved his life two or three times. He turned about and descended into the hold. He remained there while the wounded were being taken care of and the Shark being taken over. The whole fight, from sighting the Sea Devil to the surrender of the crew of the Shark had been less than two hours, but those two hours, coupled with the few weeks David Mitchel had been a shipmate, were beginning to change the way Lem saw life.

(Warning: this part may be intense for younger children. -The Editor) In the days that followed the attempted assassination Lem Harvey was shunned by almosteveryone. The feelings against him were of mixed hatred. Some hated him for trying to kill DavidMitchel while others hated him for failing. The first mate did not mingle himself in ship disputesand this one was no different. The captain, seeing the attitude of the crew, became cold towardsLem and never let his contempt for David show. Lem resented this trick on the part of thecaptain, but what he resented most was the kindness of David and the other three Christians onboard. He couldn't understand why they would be so gracious after what he did, so he attributedit to some cover-up for a plot they had to take his life. With this assumption he always carried apistol with him when he went on deck.

A week passed with the crew in this condition. David's wound healed steadily and he wasable to walk about with the help of a stick after a while. Lem always watched him when he wason deck with suspicion mingled with respect. The captain also watched him and looked for some"accident" that would remove the "Preachin' cripple" from his ship.

The morning of June 6 dawned bright and clear. The wind was crisp and the Eagle wasunder full sail. The sailors who were not on duty sat in little groups talking and smoking theirpipes, or in the case of Dan, Chad, Tom, and David, studying the Bible together. All at once theman in the crow’s nest shouted, "Ship ahoy!"

"Where away?" cried the captain.

"To starboard, a few miles off, and she's flyin' British colors," answered the man. The captainthen asked the all important question, "What kind of ship?"

"We can take them!" exclaimed the captain. He spun around and shouted, "All hands ondeck! Man your guns! Beat to quarters! To your posts, men! Have the surgeons make ready!Get yourselves ready for battle!"

The sailors scurried about like madmen, anyone who didn't move fast enough received blowsand curses from the captain and first and second mates. Tom also was not idle, although hislanguage was devoid of the curses that riddled the others orders.

"The wind is with us! Let out all sail! We can't let them escape!" shouted the captain.Instantly men were in the topmasts letting out canvas. Hersley stood at the wheel and directedthe bow of the Eagle towards the oncoming Britisher. The marines armed themselves andstationed themselves in readiness for boarding or in the rigging with muskets for sharpshooting. Everything was in readiness and the American ship drew closer to her intended victim.

"It's the Sea Devil, Hersley!" the captain said in a low, urgent tone to his first mate.

"Aye sir, the one we ran in with last time. I think we have a better chance at it now that wehave drilled the crew and picked up our full compliment of guns, but you never know," repliedthe mate.

"Right, at lest we have long twenty-fours now instead of those shot range carronades. Butthey still carry heavier metal than we do with their long thirty-twos. Make sure Lem lets all themen know that these are the men who killed Rob and the rest. If they get at us again, they'll getmore than they bargained for," the captain growled savagely. He then turned to Tom and barked,"We're close enough now! Have the men on the broadside prepare their guns. The bow chaserscan open up now.

"Cast loose your guns!" he shouted at the top of his voice. One hundred eighty-four sailorsworked furiously to loose the knots of the ropes that held the gun in place and level the muzzle.

"Take out your tampions!" bellowed Tom, at the same time leading the way by taking the plugout of the muzzle of his own gun. This done he shouted,"Run out your guns!" forty-two cannonports opened and the same number of cannon muzzles were shoved out of the openings in lesstime then it takes to tell it. The bow and stern chasers were also shoved out of the bridal ports.​ "Prime!" Tom ordered, but the four man gun crews had already poured the needed amount ofpowder from their flask and into the touch hole. They then lighted their match wicks and waited.

David looked up from the gun he had been assigned to and looked about at the other sailors.Most had stripped off their shirts as he had and stood tense, sweating, peering through their gunports to try and spot the British ship. Would the enemy engage, or would they run off?

"Lem, have yer crews open with the bow chasers now. The rest of you, hold yer fire!" Tomyelled.

The two long bow chasers sticking through the bridal ports blasted fire and smoke andsent twelve pounds of lead hurtling towards the British ship. The shots found their mark andripped though the stern of the Sea Devil. In retaliation the English ship spun around and camefull on at the Eagle, firing both of her bow chasers at the same time.

David slipped one of the double barreled pistols from his belt and examined the priming. Heshuddered at the thought that he may need to shoot someone with them by the end of the day,although he knew he was fighting in defense of his country, his state, his family, and his God.On an impulse he began to shout to the crew, "Remember, we are in the right, for we fight todefend our homes and families. The battle is not ours, but Gods, and He will give the victory!Are you with me?"

A tremendous shout went up from the crew and swords, blunderbusses, pistols, and pikeswere waved defiantly at the British ship. The enemy's intention was now obvious as they drewcloser, for the men could now see the sun gleaming off of twenty-two cannon muzzles with theiryawning mouths thrust forward from their ports as if eager for destruction.

"Hold yer fire till I order it, and only shoot if your gun is well aimed!" Tom shouted.

The British evidently didn't think much of Tom's order, for the moment he finished hissentence they let loose a tremendous broadside at the Eagle. It mostly passed through therigging and did very little damage.

The entire starboard side of the Eagle erupted in flame and smoke as the twenty-onecannon on that side fired nearly simultaneously. The crew had learned well in the weeks oftraining under Tom and the broadside went home. The Britisher replied with another broadsidefrom its starboard side as the ships passed each other. This one was better aimed than the lastone for the most part. David, Chad, Tom, and Dan, who were together on one cannon on the port side of the ship, heard a sharp explosion beside them as one of the British shells rippedthrough the side of the Eagle and smashed into the gun next to them.The cannon was notinjured but one of the crew fell dead on the spot while two of the others were wounded. Thefourth man helped one of his comrades who was less severely wounded back to his feet.

"Let’s show them lubberly Brits that we can still fight!" he said. The two worked as quickly asthey could to reload their gun, but with the one man being wounded and the other two disabled,they were behind the others in getting their gun ready. Cries from the other parts of the ship showed that others had killed and wounded as well.

Both ships turned about and came to pass each other again. David stood tense at his gun,waiting for it to be fired so it could be reloaded. Beside him were Tom, Chad, and Dan. Chadheld the smoking wick, waiting to lower it into the touch hole. Tom was kneeling by the cannon,adjusting the sights so that when the ships did pass his gun would be ready. The two ships wereclosing fast and Tom made out the enemy sailors working furiously at the guns.

As the ships neared each other Captain Donte ordered Hersley, "Swing us in front of themwhere they can't get us with their broadsides. We'll fire the cannon on the starboard side insteadof the port guns. After that swing us around so we can hit them with the port guns."

"Aye aye sir," Hersley replied.

"Men," the captain shouted, "We'll be swinging in front of them. Men on the starboard sidewill fire at the bow first, then we will swing around and do it again with the port guns!"

At the last moment the Eagle swung in front of the Sea Devil. The gunners aimed theirpieces and fired them one by one into the front of the enemy. Within a moment the Americanhad passed in front of their opponent and swung around. The men in the sails tacked and theEagle swept by again, blasting the enemy with another broadside.

Before the smoke had even cleared Tom was shouting orders, "Sponge your guns! Be quickbut thorough, don't want you to be blown up by a stray spark! That's it, that’s it. Load your guns!Make sure all the powder is rammed back. Good, now shot your guns! Hurry, let's beat the Britsto the next salvo! Run out your guns!"

The American ship continued to maneuver about the Britisher like some great dance. TheAmerican crew had begun to work together like one man. The men in the topsails kept aconstant watch on the direction of the wind and tacked to port, then to starboard, then let theship run with the wind, then pulled her up all together. The masts were trimmed to fightingcanvas and the top men were constantly adjusting to give the American the advantage.

Hersley steered the ship to the best of his ability to keep her out of the guns of the enemywhile allowing his own men to rake her. Every time the Sea Devil tried to break away or moveahead Hersley brought his ship around to cut her off. He and the top men called back and forthand worked in nearly perfect coordination.

The Eagle had received some damage, mostly in her rigging and gun decks, but not a shothad gone below the water line. About five guns had been knocked out of operation and severalmore gun crews killed or wounded. The Sea Devil on the other hand had suffered terribly, withten shot below the water line, the foremast and upper mizenmast shot away, and half the gunsout of commission. She was nearly in sinking condition.

The artillerists worked furiously to get off another volley. David glanced at the crippled guncrew next to him from time to time. Because of their loss of men they were a few seconds late for every broadside, and their single salvo boomed out after the main show had died down.David wished he could help them, but he was needed at his gun. After a minute he broke intosong. Chad, Dan, and Tom joined in the hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers!" with Tom alternately interrupting himself to yell orders.

"Like a mighty army...Aim your guns, and aim them good!...Brothers we are treading wherethe saints have trod...Fire! (BOOM!!!)...all one body we,...Sponge your guns!..."

The cannon balls flew fast and thick between the two ships as they drifted closer and closertogether. ************ "McNare, that blasted brig is late! If they don't get to the Eagle soon, the Sea Devil will benothing but a pile of wreckage! They have already inflicted forty-five casualties on us, not tomention the wounded!" ejaculated the captain of the Sea Devil to his first mate.

"I know sir, but Captain Tompson has to come up unseen, otherwise the trap is worthless.You know from last time that the Eagle can outrun any other frigate even with twenty-five or sosailors missing. So if the Shark catches up to her alone without our support, she is lost due toher smaller numbers of men and guns." replied McNare.

"At this rate we will not have any men left to support her with," grumbled the captain. "TheAmericans have definitely practiced with the guns and maneuvering since we last engaged,while we lost many of our trained men in that blasted skirmish with the Constitution. Our onlychance is if the Shark comes up and we board the Eagle together."

Just then another volley flew from the side of the American and crashed into the Sea Devil.The captain and first mate ducked violently as a ball screeched overhead.

"That was a smidgen to close!" said the captain straightening up, but he spoke too soon. Acannon on board the Eagle, a few seconds late for the volley, offered a single salvo. The shotdid more than its gunners ever imagined, for it exploded directly over the British captain and firstmate, killing both instantly. The second mate hurried up and bent down over the two bodies andgroaned, "What will I do now?" ************ As the smoke from another volley cleared Captain Donte turned to Hersley and exclaimed, "Ido believe we have them! Their volleys have not been half as strong as the first one and thedamage caused is very slight. If I am right, we should be able to close and take them in aninstant!"

"Yes sir," replied the mate. "But remember sir, they carry three hundred eighty-nine men toour Three hundred forty-six. They still may have more men than we do, and it may be a trick todraw us in."

"I'll just have to risk that. Hersley, bring us into a boarding position!" commanded the captain. At that moment a cry came from the snipers in the rigging, "Captain! Ship to windward, abrig, flying British colors, and she is coming this way at full sail!"

"How many guns?" called back the captain.

"Probably about sixteen between broadsides, she's got more in bow and stern chasers. Most likely she carries twenty guns total."

"How many men?" the captain called again.

"Probably about one hundred thirty crewmen and gunners, but I can see an unusual amountof marines on board, probably around one hundred. I'd put her force at about two hundredthirty." replied the man.

"Blast!" ejaculated Captain Donte, "If she hadn't come up we could have taken the Sea Devil!Now we'll have to watch to ourselves and move off like beaten puppies unless we want to befightin' both at once."

"You want me to break off of boardin' course, sir?" asked Hersley.

"Yes, but let us get one last broadside at the first ship. If we hurt 'er bad enough we mayknock 'er out of the chase, and we may have a chance."

"Aye aye, sir!" replied Hersley.

The captain nodded. "Have the men hold their fire until we are within one hundred yards ofthe enemy. After the broadside have the men put on more sail and get us out of harm's way. Wecan't engage both at once."

The Sea Devil had kept up a spirited fire even though most of her guns were not in operatingorder. The shells continued to play on the American decks and especially the rigging. One shellcame through the open gun port of David's cannon, skipped off the barrel, and exploded ten feetbehind them. All four men ducked violently and the loading stopped momentarily.

"Is everyone all right?" David asked after a moment.

"Yes, I think so," Tom answered. He then dropped to his knees and aimed the cannoncarefully.

"Hold your fire until we are one hundred yards away!" Tom heard Hersley call. "There isanother enemy ship to windward so we cannot finish the engagement."

The Eagle rapidly approached the British ship, undergoing the hail of lead fired from bothenemy ships. Much of the shot passed through the rigging, while a small percentage of it struckthe Eagle, causing a number of casualties. At one hundred yards Hersley turned the Portside ofthe ship towards the enemy and Tom yelled, "FIRE!" at the top of his voice. Instantly the shiperupted in fire and smoke and five hundred four pounds of lead tore into the Sea Devil. Theeffect was at once visible. Masts and spars were shot away, holes torn in the hull, and manyguns dismounted. A great shout of triumph arose from the American ship, but David couldn'thelp but think of all the brave men who died due to that broadside.

The British frigate was now in sinking condition. No longer did her guns reply as they had tothe American's shot. The Yankee sailors could see the second mate hurrying the survivors intothe ship’s boats to escape. The galant English ship rolled over onto its port side and slowlydisappeared below the waves.

A number of small arms and two small cannon had been stashed in the boats of the SeaDevil and the survivors took these up and began a fierce but harmless barrage at the Eagle,which only the cannon could reach. The four boats were filled up and now held one hundred sixarmed men between them, not to mention the men who were wounded, which were in themajority. The crew of the other British vessel circled around to pick the boats up. Both crewsshowed admirable courage and valor in their attempt to keep up the fight.

Seeing the maneuver of the Shark Hersley swung the Eagle about and headed for her. Atonce the Britisher opened a spirited fire on the American, causing some damage, but thefrigate's crew responded with such force that a number of heavy guns on the Shark were put outof action. The two ships came closer and closer until the snipers in the rigging could distinctlysee the enemy sailors and mark them with their muskets. The fire became hot between both thebroadsides and the musketry and many on both sides were killed. The Shark now approachedthe boats and these were brought on board. The British and Americans now were about even innumber of men, but the Eagle was still superior in fire power. A fierce cannonade ensued, withthe snipers in the rigging spraying both decks with bullets.

"Come on men! Ram your loads home! That’s it! Now run out your guns!" Tom was shoutingat the top of his voice.

In the rigging of the British Brig, a sniper by the name of Lars Jannison saw Tom, recognized that he was the gun commander, and reached for a loaded musket. At the moment Tom touched off his cannon Lars fired. The musket ball passed through Tom's chest and he died instantly.

"NO!" Chad shouted leaping to Tom's side. Up above Lars took another loaded musket fromthe man below him and sighted it on Chad. Once again he fired. Chad slumped forward acrossTom, also dead. Dan and David rushed to the fallen men, and Lars once again took up a gun.David looked up into the rigging to see a musket aimed down at them. Before he could doanything a rifle sounded behind him. The British sniper jolted as a rifle ball struck him and he fellfifty feet to the deck of the Shark. David turned to see Lem Harvey standing behind him with adouble-barreled rifle in his hand.

"That one's for Tom Prince!" Lem shouted, raising the gun again.

Once more the rifle blasted and the man who had been reloading for Lars Jannison alsodropped his musket and fell.

"And that's for Chad! Cold blooded villain, shooting at a man who is tending a fallencomrade!" Lem shouted again.

"Hersley! Guide us in to board her!" Captain Donte called from the main deck.​ "Aye aye, sir!" Hersley replied. He spun the wheel to port and headed the Eagle straight atthe smaller Shark. Lem used the moment of opportunity to have his gun crews fire both forwardlong cannon (which were double shotted with both solid and grapeshot) into the enemy deck.The maneuver was so quick and the two ships so close together that no maneuvering on thepart of the Britisher was possible. The bowsprit of the Eagle tangled in the rigging of the Sharkand the ships were locked together by ropes. Both sides had their boarders called away and themen rushed for their muskets and cutlasses. The battle would now be hand to hand.To be continued...

A week passed since the Eagle left Salem. Lem Harvey’s hatred towards David Mitchel grew day by day. The captain continued to let Lem run things with David, having, as we described, no love for religion, and a wish to rid his ship of all "softies", as he called Christians. Lem had been going about, secretly spreading slander about towards David as much as he could, but it was not enough to turn most of the crew against him. He wanted David off the ship. One day as the Eagle cruised along, Lem strode up to the forecastle. He had a dangerous and difficult job for David to do today. He was in high spirits and whistled as he entered the forecastle. The sight which met his eyes caused his whistle to die on his lips. Tom Prince, Dan Keeler, and Chad Jansen were kneeling with David Mitchel, praying. Lem turned red with anger. David had now stolen his friend Tom Prince! "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!" Lem exploded. David turned to Lem with a radiant smile (which Lem misinterpreted as a vengeful one) on his face. "These three men just enlisted in the Army of God, or Navy, if you prefer," he said. Lem's face turned from red to purple as he spouted off a flood of curses at David and the other three. Sailors on the opposite end of the ship stopped to listen, open-mouthed. When Lem paused for breath David said in a firm voice, “‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your Godin vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.’ Exodus 20:7." The veins in Lem's neck almost burst with his rage as he shook his fist at David and said, "I'll get even with you!" So saying he turned and stormed towards the captain’s cabin. He kicked the door open and stomped in, giving vent to a roar of fury. The captain sprang in surprise from his desk, and in a flash, had two loaded pistols in his hands. "Oh, it’s you," the captain said as he recognized Lem and sat back down. "Cap'n, that snifflin' pathetic, preacher of a man, David Mitchel," Lem spat out the the name with hate and loathing in his voice. "David Mitchel has done gone and converted Dan, Tom, and Chad as Christians! Oh, how I hate him!" The captain looked up soberly, "Do what you see fit."******************************************************************** Eight bells struck; time to change the night watch. David Mitchel rolled out of his hammock and climbed up the ladder to the deck. He strode along the deck to his position at the bow, exchanged a few words with the sailor there, then took his place along the railing. David stared out into the blackness of the moonless night. He leaned against the railing and felt the cold ocean spray pelting his face as the Eagle cut along through the dark water. All of a sudden David heard a heavy step behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Lem Harvey standing behind him. "Howdy Lem," David said. "That's sir to you," Lem snapped back. David turned to Lem and folded his arms. "Why do we always have to be enemies? We're shipmates. Comrades. We can't constantly be at odds." He said. "I want to reconcile whatever I have done to offend you..." Lem cut him off, "You snifflin', preachin', lyin' hypocrite. You and all other Christians are the same. You say one thing and do another. I know that you are trying to take away my position as second mate, but I won't have a word of it!" "I am not trying to..." David started, but Lem continued. "You know why I hate you Christians? Huh!? I was ten years old when my parents became Christians. My whole life changed, many things for good. But that same summer, an epidemichit our town. Both of my parents got very sick. I prayed with all my might that they would not die, but both of them died anyway, three days apart from each other. All the Christians around me said this was God's will, but is it God's will that a little boy be left without parents? Why would aGod of love do something like that?" David stood silent for a moment while painful memories flooded his own mind. He swallowed hard and looked up at Lem. "Your parents are with the Lord in heaven now, Lem. I know how you feel, for I have been where you are. God may use this experience to draw you to Himself..." "Shut up! That's what they all said! I am sick of it! God has nothing to do with what happensto me! I have been blazing my own trail to survive! I picked myself up as a eleven year old boy with no parents, and nothing but the shirt on my back. I buried my hate and pain, and you come to stir it back up! I hate you! I signed up as cabin boy on this ship while she was still privately owned. I made myself a new family, and you have to come and destroy it! You are a thievin'liar!" "Lem," David said calmly, "I am not trying to ruin your new sailor family, I want to be part of it. I am concerned for you and all the rest of this crew’s souls, which is why I share the gospel with you. Lem, give yourself over to God, surrender your life, your troubles, your sins, and your past to Him. He can heal your pain." "Stupid Christian! I've heard it all afore!" Lem shouted. "Lem, Christ died to take your sins on Himself, to save you from hell. Give yourself to Him!" "Be quiet!" Lem roared. The hurt and anger of his past and present were rising up before him and the world seemed to sway before his eyes. "I will not yield to a God who let my parents die! I will not tolerate Christians who say that their God killed my parents for a greater good!" David took a step towards Lem and laid his hand on his shoulder. "Lem," he said, "I know your pain, I too lost both my..." "Don't touch me, you thief! You liar! You are a Christian too, whom I hate, and I hate you all the more for trying to ruin my life here on this ship! I will not stand for it any more!" So saying Lem whipped his pistol from his belt. David took one step back then stopped. He planted his feet, crossed his arms, and looked back at Lem. "Shoot if you must. I know where I'm going. I forgive you," David said, but his voice quivered. Lem stood for a moment, shaking in rage, pistol pointed at David's chest. For a moment his conscience pricked him and he hesitated. Then, with a cry of defiant anger he cocked back the hammer and pulled the trigger. The gun bucked and roared, sending a chunk of lead hurtling towards Davids chest. The ball caught David just below the left shoulder and spun him around.He hit the deck with a thud, blood flowing from the wound. Lem stared down at David, stunned as the reality of his angry actions sank in. His fingers loosened their grip on the pistol and it clattered to the deck. He did not hear the clopping of boots on the deck and the shouts of the other sailors as they ran towards the sound of the gunshot. When they saw Lem, the pistol, and David lying in his own blood, they halted, andstared. Tom pushed his way through the group of sailors and knelt beside David, feeling for a pulse. Tom looked up at Lem, shocked. "Lem, what have you done?" he asked desperately. "I...I...I..." Lem stammered, then he turned and ran to his quarters that he shared with the first mate, slamming and locking the door behind him. Dropping to his knees, he grasped his head in his hands. "What have I done? What have I done?" he asked himself over and over again. He stood and paced back and forth across his small room, muttering to himself the whole while. "I just shot him and he said he forgave me! He could 'ave defended himself, yet he did not! How can I live with what I've done? How can I live in the debt of a man I hate, who probably hates me?" Lem smacked his left palm with his right fist. He continued to pace for a few moments more then flung himself heavily into his hammock. He buried his face in his hands while wild thoughts raced randomly through his mind.******************************************************************** Back on the deck Chad was leaning over David, checking his pulse and trying to stop the flow of blood with Tom right beside him. Dan was tramping back and forth, giving orders to the watching sailors, who scurried to obey his commands. "How is he?" Dan asked, pausing for a moment to lean over David. "He's still breathing, but it don't look good," Chad answered, "The ball hit on the left shoulderand broke the bone. I don't think it hit any vital parts like his heart or lungs or arteries, but it's too soon to tell. I don't know enough about doctorin' to do much. Someone needs to get the doc right away." Dan whirled around and barked, "You heard him, Sam. Now go!" The sailor saluted and rushed off to get the surgeon. Chad continued to try and stop the blood from the gaping wound, and had set to tearing his shirt into strips for makeshift bandages.Sam and the surgeon came hurrying up and Tom and Chad made way for him. The doctor instantly took things into hand and soon the flow of blood was stopped. "I'll need my other bag to remove the bullet if we don't want to have to amputate," the doctor said. "Sam, you know where that is?" Dan asked. "Yes sir, I'll be right back," the man answered. He turned and ran off to the surgeon's quarters. David groaned and opened his eyes. Dan gave a cry of joy and dropped to his knees on the bloody deck beside David. "Praise the Lord yer alive! How do ya feel?" Dan asked. "My shoulder hurts somethin’ awful," David answered in a voice that was nearly a whisper. "It's only natural that yer shoulder would hurt, since there's a .45 caliber pistol ball in it! You best not talk right now, since you've lost an awful lot of blood," the surgeon said in his huskymanner. Just then Sam arrived with the required items and the surgeon set to work removing the ball and setting the broken bone. David clenched his teeth against the pain. "Tell Lem I forgive him," he said, and lapsed back into unconsciousness. Chad looked at Tom and Dan and shook his head. "He may not have long to live," Chad said in a low tone. At Dan's order a stretcher was brought and David was carefully placed on it. Four sailors then took the handles and gently lifted the litter and carried it to the surgeon's quarters.

******************************************************************** It was just past midnight when Lem emerged from his quarters. Looking in both directions to make sure he was not observed, he slowly began to walk to the scene of the shooting. Hepicked up the pistol which had been left alone on the deck and returned it to his belt. He stoodthere looking at the blood spot on the deck, gloomy, not knowing if he should regret that he triedto kill David, or the fact that he failed. "Lem?" a voice sounded behind him. He spun around and recognized his friend Tom Prince. "What do you want?" Lem asked harshly. "Don't you hate me after what I just did?" "No, Lem. And neither does Chad, or Dan, or even David for that matter. Told me to tell youhe forgives you. "No one could forgive me after I just tried to kill them," Lem said bitterly. Bitter against David, Mitchel, bitter against Tom, Dan, and Chad, bitter against God, and bitter against himself. "That's where yer wrong, Lem. Jesus forgave the men that beat and killed him. David is followin' Jesus and forgivin' you, just as Jesus did him." "There you go preachin' too, just like that David Mitchel!" Lem shouted angrily as he stormed away, but the words had gone straight to his heart.

On a cool May morning in 1813, the American forty-six gun frigate, the Eagle, cruised briskly along the coast of Massachusetts in the crisp forenoon sun. Other than the first mate at the wheel, all the sailors above deck either loitered sluggishly on the weather deck or hung lazily in the rigging. The ship cut along through the water with its sails snapping smartly in the wind, ever towards the port city of Salem. Suddenly the door to the captain's cabin burst open and Captain Jeb Donte strode out on deck. When he saw the men lounging about, he bellowed, "Get up you lazy lubbers! Trim the sails you worthless good-for-nothing scalawags!" Sailors scrambled to accomplish their tasks as their captain stormed about, barking orders. Within a few minutes the sails had been trimmed, the decks cleaned, and every man ready to enter port. "Hersley! Bring us in to the wharf!" roared the captain from the bow. "Aye aye, sir!" replied the first mate, spinning the wheel skillfully to dodge a fishing skiff, he then guided the Eagle directly towards the wharf. "Dump the sails, and be quick about it! Lem, Tom, prepare to tie us up." shouted the captain. Sailors scrambled to secure the sails, and Lem and Tom took their positions. "Cap'n’s bein' a bit grouchy today," commented Tom as he worked with a coil of rope. "Aw, it's normal after a voyage as unsuccessful as we've ‘ad" replied Lem. "Down with the anchor! Secure your ropes, Lem!" bellowed the captain. "Aye aye, sir!" Lem shouted back as he threw one end of the rope to a dockhand. The man caught it and twenty or so men grasped it and began to haul in the Eagle. "How many men did we lose anyway?" Tom asked, returning to the previous conversation. "Twenty-four to the Brits, six to the fever, that makes thirty in all," answered Lem. He tied down his rope and continued, "We was lucky to get out at all after that litl' scrimmage we 'ad." "Aye, I know it. We got off with migh'y litl' killed for what we got into with 'em lobster-backs," Tom replied, touching a bandage on the side of his head. "I got to feel first ‘and what Brit’s cannon balls feel like. Lucky I got out alive." The Eagle was slowly pulled alongside the dock and secured. Sailors released the anchors and the steady “Clank! Clank!” sound of the chain was followed by the heavy splash of the anchors hitting the water. The gangplank was lowered and the crew rushed for their personal belongings before they charged noisily off the ship and dispersed themselves among the local taverns on the wharf front. Only Captain Donte, first mate Bruce Hersley, second mate Lem, Harvy, and the man in charge of the guns, Tom Prince, remained on board. The captain turned towards the men, and they snapped to attention. He looked from man to man, then spoke. "Hersley, you and I will see to getting some of the men back here and help reload the ship with supplies. Understood?" The weathered old sailor bobbed his head once, "Aye aye, sir!" "Lem, Tom, I've a different assignment for you two. We lost a heap of men to the Brits and the fever, as you know. I want you to go on shore to get the best replacements you can find and get them back to this ship one way or another," the captain said. He said, finishing his sentence with a wink at Lem. "Aye aye, sir. I think I can manage that," replied Lem with a sly grin and return wink. "And be sure they're no lubbers, either. We leave early in the morning, so don't go get yourselves drunk, you hear? Dismissed." The captain spun on his heel and disappeared into the cabin. Lem stuffed a pistol in his belt and walked down the gangplank and on to the wharf with Tom right behind him. "Where to first?" asked Tom as they strutted down the waterfront. "First we stop at a couple o' taverns and get as many men as possible who is so liquored up they can’t see straight to sign on without 'em knowin' what they're doin'. They'll wake up when we’re in the open sea. If'n we don't get enough men that-a-way, we just try an' drum up the rest of the crew," replied Lem, running a calloused hand through his long matted brown hair. "Let's get to it," said Tom. The two of them came up to a dingy tavern and entered. ************ The next morning the Eagle set full sail for the open sea. The ship had been resupplied with food, sailing equipment, and weapons and ammunition. Lem and Tom had done their jobs well and the crew worked on their respective tasks like an experienced crew. "Lem!" came the harsh shout of one named Dan Keeler. "What?" Lem roared back from the forecastle. "Captain wants to see you!" Dan yelled back. Three minutes later Lem was standing before the captains desk. "And how is it with the new crew members?" asked the captain. "Fine. Some of them were furious when they woke up and found out their sailin' plans had changed, but they'll get o'er that," Lem answered with a crooked grin. "Good," said the captain, "Is that all?" "N-no," Lem responded hesitantly. He fingered his beard for a moment before continuing. "I met one of the men that signed up, on a street corner. His name is David Mitchel. He had been a-preachin' to some o' the soldiers and a-prayin' for the successful defense of America in this 'ere war. When he came on board I snuck a look in his sea chest and found a Bible." "You signed a religious man on board!" the captain shouted, jumping to his feet, “All religious men are land-lubbrey softies!” "He said he'd been to sea afore, and so far he's proven himself good on a ship," Lem replied rather sheepishly. "Well, he'd better not start a-preachin' on board my ship!" growled the captain. "It's a bit to late for that, cap'n. But he don't just preach an' pray, he works too," said Lem. "I don't want him preachin' on my ship, but we can always use extra work. Lem, I want you to see to it that he gets enough work to cut that preachin' right out of his mouth!" snapped the captain. Lem grinned wickedly, "I can see to that sir. I'll show him to the men as the hypocrite he really is!" He saluted the captain, spun on his heel, and walked out of the cabin. The first sight that met his eyes was a group of men standing around David Mitchel. As he walked closer he caught some of the conversation. An old sailor named Chad Jansen was speaking, "I can understand if the Jesus you talk of died for rich and good folk, but He wouldn't care for the likes of us sailors. Why, we're the scum of the earth, so bad that only the sea accepts us." "But that’s the thing, Chad," replied David. "Jesus died for us while we were still his enemies! He prayed for the men who killed him!" "Naw!" scoffed Dan Keeler, "No one's brave or lovin' enough to do that." "Jesus does. He cares for each of us. He saved me from the wretched sinner that I was," David replied. "David Mitchel!" Lem called. "Aye aye, sir?" David said snapping to attention. Lem threw him a mop and ordered, "I want you to swab this whole deck, from stem to stern! Make 'em shine like they never did afore!" "Aye aye, sir!" David saluted. He then turned over the bucket he had been sitting on and went to fill it with water. Lem stood still, mouth gaping open. He had expected at least a complaint. He suddenly clamped his jaw shut and snapped, "When you're done with that I want you to clean the captain’s quarters!" "Aye aye, sir!" David replied without breaking his rhythmic mopping. Lem opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and tramped off below deck. David continued scrubbing. "Why does you put up with him ordering you around?" the contentious Dan Harvy asked. "Well," answered David, "The Bible says to obey the authority put over us. Besides, Jesus endured a lot worse than scrubbing decks." Dan shrugged and leaned against the main mast. After a while he walked off and got a mop himself. David looked up in surprise. "Got nothing else to do," Dan mumbled in explanation to David's perplexed look. David nodded and the two men set to work side by side. Lem watched from a distance and huffed. "He may be all religious right now," he muttered quietly to himself, "but I'll show him!" "Why are you and the cap'n so again' him?" a voice sounded at Lem's elbow and made him jump. He spun around to face Tom Prince. Tom continued, "He's done only good so far, and he's a hard worker." "Yeah, he 'as done nothin' bad to ya? or anyone, other than sayin’ that our whisky ain’t ‘godly’" said another sailor. A small group of sailors was beginning to form around Lem, listening for his reply. "I...um...uh...well, he's...religious and...um..." Lem grew red in the face as he stammered for words. He suddenly spun around and dashed for the hatchway to the hold. The men stared after him and snickered. "That’s what I thought," Tom said. "Undeserved hatred. That David is such a man that you can't bring a thing against him." He turned back to the deck and bellowed, "Come on boys! Man your guns! We want to be nice an' practiced by the time we meet them lobster-backs!" All the sailors dropped their work and scrambled to the cannons. "Ready your guns!" Tom shouted at the top of his voice. As the men heaved, shouted, rammed, loaded, and fired, Lem stood back and watched with a scowl on his face. He fingered a pistol in his belt and stared hard at the back of David Mitchel. He had been made to look a fool by Tom because of David, and David’s influence had already nearly replaced that which Lem had once had. "One day," Lem muttered, "One day Mr. Mitchel, I'll have my revenge!"

Malachi

Author

Malachi is a home educated Christian boy who lives in Arizona with his parents and six siblings. He enjoys reading, writing, working with wood, Frisbee, and friends. His life goal is to honor God and be conformed into the image of His Son.